tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89592932113871041952024-03-19T08:23:16.331-04:00The Nifty NerdarellaYummy recipes, fun crafts and a touch of nerdiness.Rebekah Essickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05389959233368682749noreply@blogger.comBlogger76125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-85644244052069567002023-01-18T21:40:00.007-05:002023-02-02T13:58:48.513-05:00Tiramisù Cupcakes with Coffee Cream Filling & Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSYmgimQFqQOlCp-BxIFlGFFywnyF6Mg6An8FxfIN04MsYJszpCe00kw8FJbjwYisvHvaVVC_GLiOEpCvjwzBI_9MGDe3K8PK8SvxcmPDXpNwH4WxNCsanWENRL7EFmecbMkL2srFPwjqrnQxAuZaBs7MJkifSA9gaB1dqMgbKnayur4tg0D6YqAI/s2048/IMG_2159.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="430" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTSYmgimQFqQOlCp-BxIFlGFFywnyF6Mg6An8FxfIN04MsYJszpCe00kw8FJbjwYisvHvaVVC_GLiOEpCvjwzBI_9MGDe3K8PK8SvxcmPDXpNwH4WxNCsanWENRL7EFmecbMkL2srFPwjqrnQxAuZaBs7MJkifSA9gaB1dqMgbKnayur4tg0D6YqAI/w572-h430/IMG_2159.jpg" width="572" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hello all. I've been quiet for a while. I just got married about a month ago. Last year was filled with wedding planning and quite a few wedding DIYs I plan to post about in the coming months.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">As we get back into it, I wanted to share a recipe I came up with a while back that has become a favorite among my family and friends. This is the one they all ask for. When I make these for the office, they're gone in all of 30 seconds. People scramble for them.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I tell you that to let you know if you like tiramisù, you want to give this cupcake recipe a try. It's a winner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtLWaXCwA5A24wE5TMEYDeaf6ikolGmKSi_kVzMm8NXWdgRNnj3k5EgI7WQcIdtyRho8gTvDsDkh4nlsfxWn0RxhXZwWhifz_pKoI6ZrAX7kh8-eABhyphenhyphenGPD86xgS_Z2k8wWpWDQq9euk/s1120/Pinterest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGtLWaXCwA5A24wE5TMEYDeaf6ikolGmKSi_kVzMm8NXWdgRNnj3k5EgI7WQcIdtyRho8gTvDsDkh4nlsfxWn0RxhXZwWhifz_pKoI6ZrAX7kh8-eABhyphenhyphenGPD86xgS_Z2k8wWpWDQq9euk/w428-h640/Pinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><div style="text-align: center;"><h4><b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4><div><b>(Makes 12)</b></div><div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Cupcakes</h4></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />¾ c. sugar<br />2 eggs<br />½ c. vegetable oil<br />½ c. buttermilk<br />2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />½ tsp. baking soda<br />¼ tsp. salt</div><div style="text-align: left;">12 ladyfingers</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 c. strong coffee, cold</div><div style="text-align: left;">3 Tbsp. coffee liqueur<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><h4 style="text-align: left;"><br /></h4><h4 style="text-align: left;">Coffee Cream Filling</h4></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">1 Tbsp. instant coffee</div><div style="text-align: left;">½ c. heavy whipping cream<br />¼ c. confectioners sugar</div><div style="text-align: left;">4 oz. mascarpone cheese</div><div style="text-align: left;">6 Tbsp. coffee liqueur</div></div><h4><br /></h4><h4>Mascarpone Cream Cheese Icing</h4><div><div>4 oz. mascarpone cheese, chilled</div><div>8 oz. cream cheese, softened</div><div>1 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>½ c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 tsp. vanilla extract</div></div><div>3 tsp. coffee liqueur</div><div>Cocoa powder (for dusting)</div><div>Chocolate-covered espresso beans (for topping)</div></div><h4 style="clear: both;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><div><h4><b>~ Directions ~</b></h4></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 350°.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">In a shallow pan, mix the cold coffee and 3 Tbsp. coffee liqueur. Dip the ladyfingers in the mixture. Don't allow them to stay in the liquid too long or they will start to fall apart. Set the ladyfingers aside.<br /><br />In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br /><br />In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and egg. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Finally, crumble the soaked ladyfingers into the cupcake batter and fold in until mixed throughout. I recommend squeezing some of the liquid out of the ladyfingers as you do this before they go into the batter to avoid adding too much moisture.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.<br /><br />While the cupcakes are baking, make the filling. Combine all ingredients together in a large bowl and whip until soft peaks form and the mixture has a mousse texture. Once cupcakes are cooled completely, scoop out a portion of the center of each and replace it with some of the cream.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, make the icing. In a large bowl, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy. Pipe over cupcakes once they are completely cooled. Add a light dusting of cocoa powder over the top of each cupcake and a chocolate-covered espresso bean, if desired.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-017d9cpPBXqVWa9D37R8RgXpI2c0PXmyd7Cc5Ks3zOxEB4Dqvu55EGx5pnnOxx-0Ua7HnZbTUxZCNRPKXNqxNlUhYJHNnEWHLeviRVVB6AjVIpOq7yQ2RO_vQIHUIrCVN7vqNfXinHs/s4032/IMG_2160.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-017d9cpPBXqVWa9D37R8RgXpI2c0PXmyd7Cc5Ks3zOxEB4Dqvu55EGx5pnnOxx-0Ua7HnZbTUxZCNRPKXNqxNlUhYJHNnEWHLeviRVVB6AjVIpOq7yQ2RO_vQIHUIrCVN7vqNfXinHs/w480-h640/IMG_2160.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvr-ygnp1F9q_Equ62bL5BtQTRW1xjaIZoA6uylP0St8C58DaSDqONU2k6n0pvmqL7CG1mQWBen4Nook0tGw6fdbT0R3Aa4J4RgdQm-0Tq9xhQtczB5t2i53tXEYg-9gIV_UaEu5N7Dc/s4032/IMG_2157.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvr-ygnp1F9q_Equ62bL5BtQTRW1xjaIZoA6uylP0St8C58DaSDqONU2k6n0pvmqL7CG1mQWBen4Nook0tGw6fdbT0R3Aa4J4RgdQm-0Tq9xhQtczB5t2i53tXEYg-9gIV_UaEu5N7Dc/w480-h640/IMG_2157.jpeg" width="480" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-40910191750149695022023-01-18T21:37:00.004-05:002023-01-20T06:35:54.351-05:00Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Cream Cheese Filling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-2QnB3tA0gCw1-urLMZdSQoogqgIh5co8aloz2J_kmzzGQCRkrp_tLxZkDmaIAnbZmpDy6nvBsSPzEXAjGOh2HiIuYU3rfQdvtVFR2si4tCE6L-d248qVRCwhp5KBdXJpt1pvMFc2d0/s1600/IMG_1327.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR-2QnB3tA0gCw1-urLMZdSQoogqgIh5co8aloz2J_kmzzGQCRkrp_tLxZkDmaIAnbZmpDy6nvBsSPzEXAjGOh2HiIuYU3rfQdvtVFR2si4tCE6L-d248qVRCwhp5KBdXJpt1pvMFc2d0/s640/IMG_1327.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I'm slacking, everyone. I made these cupcakes a WHILE ago and never got around to posting them.</div>
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I first decided to whip these up for my mother for her birthday a while back. From there, I made them several times throughout the holiday season for various get-togethers.</div>
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But, true to form, I'm not going to give you a long drawn-out saga. Because let's be honest, you're here for the cupcake recipe, not my life story. So, here you go! Enjoy this delightful Christmas cupcake recipe.</div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
<div>
<b>(Makes 12)</b></div>
<div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Chocolate Cupcakes</h4>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />
¾ c. sugar<br />
½ c. cacao powder (cocoa will also work)<br />
2 eggs<br />
¾ c. vegetable oil<br />
½ c. buttermilk<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />
½ tsp. baking soda<br />
¼ tsp. salt<br />
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Cream Cheese Filling</h4>
<div>4 oz. cream cheese, softened</div><div>½ c. heavy whipping cream</div>
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⅓ c. confectioners sugar</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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½ tsp. peppermint extract</div>
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Whipped Cream Icing</h4>
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2 c. heavy whipping cream</div>
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½ c. confectioners sugar</div>
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1 package (3.6 oz.) Godiva dark chocolate pudding mix</div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
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In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br />
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In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and egg. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Mix in the cacao powder. Finally, slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.<br />
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.<br />
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While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. In a large bowl, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.<br />
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Next, whip up the cream cheese filling. Place all ingredients for the filling in a bowl and whip until smooth.<br />
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Use an apple corer or similar instrument to remove the centers from each of the cooled cupcakes. Pipe a bit of the cream cheese filling into each.<br />
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Pipe the whipped icing over each cupcake. Add sprinkles or crushed candy cane if you're feeling especially festive.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-28199420243423251072021-02-06T11:27:00.020-05:002021-02-07T10:18:06.292-05:00Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Raspberry Whipped Icing<p>Hello friends! Nice to see you again. It has been a little while. The holiday season was a busy one and work has been hectic so the blog took a bit of a backseat for a while. But, I have a lot of recipes I want to share with you very soon so hopefully, there will be some time for that in the near future.</p><p>For now, I have a new cupcake recipe to share with you. I actually originally made these just before the holidays for my mother's birthday. She loves dark chocolate so they were the perfect birthday cupcake. The first batch, though, while tasty, kinda fell apart. So there were some structural issues that needed to be fixed before I could share them with you. With Valentine's Day in the near future, this seemed the appropriate time to share the final recipe. Dark chocolate raspberry is made for Valentine's Day.</p><p>And let's be honest, I'm really not a fan of Valentine's Day. The holiday has always seemed pointless to me. Normally, I wouldn't go out of my way to share a new recipe for this holiday unless I had a really good idea come to me. But since I had this one ready to go this year, you get a cupcake recipe appropriate for the holiday.</p><p>So, here you go. Why beat around the bush? Dark Chocolate Truffle Cupcakes with Dark Chocolate Raspberry Whipped Icing. Make these for Valentine's Day, Galentine's Day, or, just because.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRS5HkUI329-0c0U3jQrvPu7DHpj9X-M-moc_p_L62rTxL8h5-BfBKdiNx1viOIvJbUZrP6qZo2lAaKbUVnm5Nre0hHdlzKy0C-2qou_aw-e-S8iVNj3vqeYJq-_ZuisMqw2pqgCgMkA/s2048/IMG_1989.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicRS5HkUI329-0c0U3jQrvPu7DHpj9X-M-moc_p_L62rTxL8h5-BfBKdiNx1viOIvJbUZrP6qZo2lAaKbUVnm5Nre0hHdlzKy0C-2qou_aw-e-S8iVNj3vqeYJq-_ZuisMqw2pqgCgMkA/w640-h480/IMG_1989.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Because they're delicious.</p><p>And chocolatey.</p><p>And awesome.</p><p>Do it.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8l9J1GRzbUMiQRG4cdbenFLXdyDVCNJDm24bIKmyppPm6Jn1NfDua2lzglfE1UXQCqcdPUW50rtWDNQfV_PNEHwJzs67_MWWJigdlOF5yVWxq7fxsXSVM8HqpvTF9VfpRumR8mCm_jc/s1120/Pinterest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgI8l9J1GRzbUMiQRG4cdbenFLXdyDVCNJDm24bIKmyppPm6Jn1NfDua2lzglfE1UXQCqcdPUW50rtWDNQfV_PNEHwJzs67_MWWJigdlOF5yVWxq7fxsXSVM8HqpvTF9VfpRumR8mCm_jc/w428-h640/Pinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><b>(Makes 12)</b></div></h4><h4>Chocolate Cupcakes</h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">¾ c. sugar</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">½ c. cocoa powder</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 eggs</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">¾ c. vegetable oil</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">½ c. buttermilk</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tsp. vanilla extract</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 ½ tsp. baking powder</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">½ tsp. baking soda</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">¼ tsp. salt</span><br /><span style="font-weight: 400;">12 </span><span style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">Lindt LINDOR Dark Chocolate Truffles</span></div></div></h4><h4>Chocolate Raspberry Whipped Icing</h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div>2 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>½ c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 package dark chocolate pudding mix</div><div>1/3 c. raspberry jam</div></div></div></h4><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>~ Directions ~</b></h4><h4><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-weight: 400;"></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-weight: 400;">Preheat oven to 350°.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and eggs. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Mix in the cocoa powder. Finally, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners, allowing enough volume to add a truffle without the batter overflowing. Push a truffle into the center of each cupcake until it's completely encased and you can't see the candy.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (you'll need to test toward the side of the cupcake since the gooey candy is inside). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Suggest moving to the refrigerator to cool. Cold cupcakes are the best for icing.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. In a large bowl, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">Once the cupcakes are cooled completely, ice them with a generous amount of icing. Top with any decorations you like. I made some candy harts with a mold and red melting chocolate. You could also use sprinkles or anything else festive.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOObsIsVVwwDMd5syILcDuo-ji8BKKddMxIeBe4be2aO6xvHVoS9TTCXVw4K0bX0DZ1fDgFGhQarLnFlJPSqxs9Y1J8VsMmxjt1gAcH8LbMF5hVce2jA8UMe_p7k-4DeV0_cA1XlkEYY/s2048/IMG_1988.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvOObsIsVVwwDMd5syILcDuo-ji8BKKddMxIeBe4be2aO6xvHVoS9TTCXVw4K0bX0DZ1fDgFGhQarLnFlJPSqxs9Y1J8VsMmxjt1gAcH8LbMF5hVce2jA8UMe_p7k-4DeV0_cA1XlkEYY/w640-h480/IMG_1988.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div></div></h4>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-6283333347582538652020-11-30T08:41:00.002-05:002023-01-18T21:27:51.558-05:00Apple Pie Cupcakes with Spiced Cream Cheese Icing & Brown Sugar Cinnamon Sugar Pecans<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgt9CWkyggAOsFoqs_VwFXdLziRnNuNqkvV7jmc1MkROEAJ4-ssNPCCFnaSgDmvC81_LI6ZwMrZowIjgaYWBka44gOVtuP0VdVUI9vIzpcWqzFfl7UIEZi1BD5KRjWqzyEot5Bc1KDIQ/s2048/IMG_1839.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPgt9CWkyggAOsFoqs_VwFXdLziRnNuNqkvV7jmc1MkROEAJ4-ssNPCCFnaSgDmvC81_LI6ZwMrZowIjgaYWBka44gOVtuP0VdVUI9vIzpcWqzFfl7UIEZi1BD5KRjWqzyEot5Bc1KDIQ/w640-h480/IMG_1839.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Good morning, friends. Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving and got your fill of delicious food.</p><p>As if all of us haven't already had enough sugary holiday goodness, how about a new recipe?</p><p>I've been on a cupcake kick lately. And since it's the holiday season, I've especially had fun with some new festive holiday cupcakes.</p><p>My latest inspiration was apple pie. The perfect holiday dessert, valid for both Thanksgiving and Christmas. Imagine that delicious apple pie filling in a fluffy vanilla cupcake. Yum!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7-wHydRQHQKO2Bp0RZ98VqBkcDSKpBN_BP5leAkNR4zwb82CCr2WQSaaR0-NPJOY5AbOyQx4n38_jA45mNYNu-TbVgK2cUvT1JkxC-AfcCeA4yoYWGyXOBUnCPLGt9DFOi_dWADVw-4/s2048/IMG_1839.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV7-wHydRQHQKO2Bp0RZ98VqBkcDSKpBN_BP5leAkNR4zwb82CCr2WQSaaR0-NPJOY5AbOyQx4n38_jA45mNYNu-TbVgK2cUvT1JkxC-AfcCeA4yoYWGyXOBUnCPLGt9DFOi_dWADVw-4/w640-h480/IMG_1839.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These cupcakes are so light and fluffy and amazing! And they're the perfect transitional dessert from Thanksgiving into Christmas. A holiday apple pie wrapped up into a delicious little cupcake package.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Keeping this write-up short and sweet and just jumping into the good stuff you're here for. Wishing you and your's a happy holiday season!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24ITlK000f34Mu0qvZJc-O9Amjr-Zi847pR7Ip9OoA8ScLSewqOIEGSj-yuZt1cpj1UkFgrY-6ddh1cwR8bwEBhpl5FqMaSFvqFcOy2H83uK_8Eu3ZlpjlWl_i-AhT4XwuRRYHxrl5S8/s1120/Pinterest.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi24ITlK000f34Mu0qvZJc-O9Amjr-Zi847pR7Ip9OoA8ScLSewqOIEGSj-yuZt1cpj1UkFgrY-6ddh1cwR8bwEBhpl5FqMaSFvqFcOy2H83uK_8Eu3ZlpjlWl_i-AhT4XwuRRYHxrl5S8/w428-h640/Pinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><div style="text-align: center;"><h4><b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4><div><b>(Makes 12)</b></div><div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Cupcakes</h4></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />¾ c. sugar<br />2 eggs<br />½ c. vegetable oil<br />½ c. buttermilk<br />2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />½ tsp. baking soda<br />¼ tsp. salt<br /><h4>Apple Pie Filling</h4>3 red apples<br />¼ c. brown sugar<br />1 Tbsp. lemon juice<br />½ tsp. ground cinnamon<br />Dash of nutmeg<br /><div>¼ c. water</div><div>1 tsp. corn starch</div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Spiced Cream Cheese Icing</h4><div><div>8 oz. cream cheese brought to room temperature</div><div>1 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>1 c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 tsp. vanilla extract</div><div>2 tsp. ground cinnamon</div><div>¼ tsp. ground nutmeg</div></div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pecans</h4><div>4 oz. chopped pecans</div><div>1 egg white</div><div>2 Tbsp. brown sugar</div><div>½ tsp. ground cinnamon</div><div>½ tsp. vanilla extract</div></div><h4 style="clear: both;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><div><h4><b>~ Directions ~</b></h4></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 350°.<br /><br />In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br /><br />In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and eggs. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Recommend leaving the cupcakes in the refrigerator for a little while after removing them from the oven so they're chilled for icing.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">While the cupcakes are baking, make the apple pie filling. Peel and core the apples and chop into small pieces. In a large bowl, toss the apples in the lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix until apples are evenly coated.<br /><br />Move the apple mixture to a large skillet and add the water and corn starch. Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir until the apples are tender and the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). Remove to a bowl and allow to cool completely.<br /><br />To make the icing, in one bowl whip together the cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl, whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream mixture and whip together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">To make the pecans, toss all the ingredients together in a bowl. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper and spread the pecans across the sheet. Bake for 30 minutes in oven preheated to 300°. Flip the pecans half-way through. Allow to cool completely before topping the cupcakes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once cupcakes are cool/chilled, use an apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Scoop a bit of the apple pie filling into the center of each. You won't use all the apple pie mixture, so I recommend you package that up for later to top some vanilla ice cream.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Pipe icing over each cupcake and top with brown sugar cinnamon pecans.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN3mfTCLz1QE6qWGV2F1Z8B6Ml18e8ohg5h3eOZGcPL44NakhQTNDI7tnJl2dAngb2tLd9HPA33a-tbziJ3xhTN9XSfXUOcZL5Y77neTe6DlscqjUdkjdYJme-kqXcXzKPQZxHEiKChE/s2006/IMG_1837.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2006" data-original-width="1568" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEN3mfTCLz1QE6qWGV2F1Z8B6Ml18e8ohg5h3eOZGcPL44NakhQTNDI7tnJl2dAngb2tLd9HPA33a-tbziJ3xhTN9XSfXUOcZL5Y77neTe6DlscqjUdkjdYJme-kqXcXzKPQZxHEiKChE/w500-h640/IMG_1837.jpeg" width="500" /></a></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-84242627826271885082020-10-31T07:39:00.001-04:002023-01-18T21:04:16.792-05:00Halloween Candy Worms n' Dirt Cupcakes<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyrdDhmC0No6sSg-yV66BFTnwsKVorhWRHQRN1fL1sS0EaIr5VtptZKjUa2UB35xTYvrtbnVk49qi2FmiTgMHhfyTuokyD01zQPvYDVLgoIOl5CZD-uxmEUXU6swKH9Vdu2pr0R70VhY/s2048/IMG_1822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQyrdDhmC0No6sSg-yV66BFTnwsKVorhWRHQRN1fL1sS0EaIr5VtptZKjUa2UB35xTYvrtbnVk49qi2FmiTgMHhfyTuokyD01zQPvYDVLgoIOl5CZD-uxmEUXU6swKH9Vdu2pr0R70VhY/w640-h480/IMG_1822.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>It's Halloween, you guys!</p><p>I absolutely love Halloween. Love, love, love. For many reasons. I love spooky things, I love old Halloween movies. I love haunted houses. I love Halloween parties and getting dressed up in a fun costume. I love pumpkin patches and fall festivals. I love Halloween candy. I love the change in weather. I also love that Halloween begins my favorite time of year: the parade of holidays from Halloween through New Year's. It is such a fun and magical time.</p><p>I think this year more than ever we're all looking forward to a little holiday cheer. 2020 has been a tough one. I haven't even really blogged in a while - my mind has been in other places this year.</p><p>And Halloween is going to look a little different for everyone this year. No large trick-or-treat outings. No big Halloween parties. No massive haunted house events. But that doesn't mean we can't still make it fun!</p><p>As I mentioned earlier, I love old Halloween movies. The old corny slasher flicks. And some of the classics like It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown and A Nightmare Before Christmas. Our plans for Halloween this year are to stay home and binge-watch as many fun Halloween movies as possible. And, of course, consume enough sweet treats to go into a sugar coma.</p><p>I could make this easy and just get a big back of assorted Halloween candy but you know what would be more fun than that? Baking something.</p><p>As I started thinking through what would be a fun Halloween treat to make my mind went back to birthdays when I was in elementary school. Every year for my birthday, my mom made worms n' dirt cupcakes for me to bring to school and share with friends. Every year, I only wanted worms n' dirt cupcakes. No other varietals. It became a tradition.</p><p>If you're unfamiliar with worms n' dirt cupcakes, it's basically a chocolate cupcake topped with Oreo cookie crumbles with a gummy worm sticking out. It looks like a worm coming out of the dirt. And it's oh so delicious.</p><p>And kinda creepy. Hey, that would make for a good Halloween treat! And what if I added some Halloween candy to the mix?</p><p>Which is how I landed on this recipe. This is a chocolate cupcake recipe I've used in other posts repurposed because it's a good basic recipe. The whipped icing is something I've used before as well. I felt a lighter icing would be best here to balance out the heaviness of the candy. We incorporate the classic Oreo crumbles and the gummy worms but I've also added a special surprise to the cupcakes' centers: Halloween candies.</p><p>You can choose your favorite type of candy and use the same varietal in all the cupcakes but I preferred to choose a few types and mix it up. That way, every cupcake is a bit of a surprise. For my cupcakes, I used Reese's and Milky Way Midnights - out two favorite Halloween candies.</p><p>The nice thing about worms n' dirt cupcakes is if you're not super skilled yet at icing a cupcake, it's OK because the icing work gets covered by the cookie crumbles.</p><p>These are great for kids and adults alike. No matter the size of your Halloween celebration this year, these worms n' dirt cupcakes are a great addition.</p><h4><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76R70aUQd7P_MRbXR9raQIhAU1BMKK3PujM10ogNbV4vSebuZdbtNc9sZrBKVx5bSbj40Zbek7tAReH0hNQ7cIWU83WA3_dAX9frs_fLEZV3RggrOi5wLywJn6sRUAo2-nidU9RqJB80/s1120/Pinterest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj76R70aUQd7P_MRbXR9raQIhAU1BMKK3PujM10ogNbV4vSebuZdbtNc9sZrBKVx5bSbj40Zbek7tAReH0hNQ7cIWU83WA3_dAX9frs_fLEZV3RggrOi5wLywJn6sRUAo2-nidU9RqJB80/w428-h640/Pinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div></h4><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><b>(Makes 12)</b></div></h4><h4>Chocolate Candy Cupcakes</h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><div></div></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />¾ c. sugar<br />½ c. cocoa powder<br />2 eggs<br />¾ c. vegetable oil<br />½ c. buttermilk<br />1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />½ tsp. baking soda<br />¼ tsp. salt<br />12 pieces of assorted Halloween candy</div><div style="text-align: left;">(I used a mix of Reese's Minis and Milky Way Midnight Minis)</div></div></h4><h4>Whipped Cream Icing</h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div>2 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>½ c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 package Godiva chocolate pudding mix</div></div></div></h4><h4>Decorations</h4><h4><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">12 gummy worms<br />Crumbled Oreo cookies </div><div style="text-align: left;">(if you don't have access to pre-crumbled Oreos, just buy a pack of regular Oreos, remove the cream and crush the cookies into dust)</div></div></h4><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><h4 style="text-align: center;"><b>~ Directions ~</b></h4><h4><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-weight: 400;"></div><div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="font-weight: 400;">Preheat oven to 350°.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and eggs. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Mix in the cocoa powder. Finally, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Push a piece of Halloween candy or your choice into the center of each cupcake.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQQ7O13KUAsDx52pil1jy8AjCUGtC28mX3Y9ywFrJSt1lGaXpi9IyJvQCem_o7SLbz1g3fvVEtNzoQyrEj_MJ_rffgH2GLATD9AekPu6mmvpXwUdXTwXiVVPz6bD_DcKFPjjpWCiOn_0/s2048/IMG_1815.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQQQ7O13KUAsDx52pil1jy8AjCUGtC28mX3Y9ywFrJSt1lGaXpi9IyJvQCem_o7SLbz1g3fvVEtNzoQyrEj_MJ_rffgH2GLATD9AekPu6mmvpXwUdXTwXiVVPz6bD_DcKFPjjpWCiOn_0/w640-h480/IMG_1815.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">Push the piece of candy into the batter until it's completely encased and you can't see the candy.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean (you'll need to test toward the side of the cupcake since the gooey candy is inside). Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Suggest moving to the refrigerator to cool. Cold cakes are the best for icing.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. In a large bowl, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">Once the cupcakes are cooled completely, ice them with a generous amount of icing. The icing job doesn't need to be pretty, as you won't really see it on the finished product.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWDfWkj40siWnOi3QHCeM3OevbAs8oNMtayfWXhPwzTwJe9blysOO0Rn2vz85e0uqzjPOErg4fqMo_vh5G2ZL1fkQhuQZOX6abcKmc-FHcCQC1D2hPwok6WS-Rg7vSe2hhFH9d6tzvwI/s2048/IMG_1816.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBWDfWkj40siWnOi3QHCeM3OevbAs8oNMtayfWXhPwzTwJe9blysOO0Rn2vz85e0uqzjPOErg4fqMo_vh5G2ZL1fkQhuQZOX6abcKmc-FHcCQC1D2hPwok6WS-Rg7vSe2hhFH9d6tzvwI/w640-h480/IMG_1816.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">Carefully dip the top of each cupcake into a bowl filled with the Oreo cookie crumbs. Do this gently so the icing doesn't fall off the cupcake. Roll each cupcake around enough in the crumbs so the icing is covered and the top has a "dirt" look.</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">To finish off, stick one of the gummy worms into the icing of each cupcake so it looks like the little guy is popping out of the dirt to say "hello."</div><div style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneljTHarBGngS7o-C4L6UVQ3KJ-inGa9Y3Xqi-BOJrmJAFc-4NcOPqM0Tt9LllC9qUqQvZJ0YlpxWns518T_ceLgVbYhFlKfQCdlXmgdTjGG8W9MCwLd4Wswvhg12d2Asq7uIeAbUGfM/s2048/IMG_1823.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhneljTHarBGngS7o-C4L6UVQ3KJ-inGa9Y3Xqi-BOJrmJAFc-4NcOPqM0Tt9LllC9qUqQvZJ0YlpxWns518T_ceLgVbYhFlKfQCdlXmgdTjGG8W9MCwLd4Wswvhg12d2Asq7uIeAbUGfM/w640-h480/IMG_1823.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font-weight: 400;">And there you have it! Some fun, creepy and tasty cupcakes for your Halloween!</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb38HlRythyaYLoAkjiiwvx1LnMCt3vwtEjtJdJq6pR4sAFXJ3ndYGVv2I5DTNTESwKgAyX7-vRBq8O5YzK-bwdsy2tFD0VtyVdxJcJaPJ_cmBgMowZfnKyPnU7MzXmM8Mo6hCFGCkm8M/s2048/IMG_1822.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb38HlRythyaYLoAkjiiwvx1LnMCt3vwtEjtJdJq6pR4sAFXJ3ndYGVv2I5DTNTESwKgAyX7-vRBq8O5YzK-bwdsy2tFD0VtyVdxJcJaPJ_cmBgMowZfnKyPnU7MzXmM8Mo6hCFGCkm8M/w640-h480/IMG_1822.jpg" width="640" /></a></div></div></div></div></h4>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-36004148378127085122020-08-16T08:17:00.004-04:002023-01-19T19:59:08.178-05:00Funfetti Cupcakes with White Chocolate Funfetti Filling and Dark Chocolate Icing<div class="separator" style="clear: both; display: none; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUQlNfz29eEVks3IAcQcOTr2aQdFCDoQt8r60wzdW_w4y0YPaud5blpOzF3LMvnRIS8vvlscda7JDePExwQUwCIAFvnOSMVOKCEvMWlUFRJ8_5YTN5chFc7aWcV5UG0LW43jatqe6kfw/s2048/CC4.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZUQlNfz29eEVks3IAcQcOTr2aQdFCDoQt8r60wzdW_w4y0YPaud5blpOzF3LMvnRIS8vvlscda7JDePExwQUwCIAFvnOSMVOKCEvMWlUFRJ8_5YTN5chFc7aWcV5UG0LW43jatqe6kfw/s640/CC4.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>Hi everyone. It has been a while. The current state of the world we're all living in has had me a bit all over the place so I haven't made any new recipes in a bit.</p><p>Until today! I have a new cupcake recipe to share. I recently had a few friends with birthdays and I wanted to make them some cupcakes to celebrate since COVID prevents any type of large celebration from happening.</p><p>When I think birthday cake, I think funfetti. Simple vanilla cake with multi-colored sprinkles. And why not make some funfetti filling as well? Funfetti everywhere!</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWZ_Vqui0RlaoK8T8K6_2KJgfPm39c9yKfrrfpSbixlBDkHBWYzL7EauN3h8grKyidua2nAhpBvfViDsmIdnI3gE9DOtMUyJLI4u1_cvQ7RLWFsAm6CaG7MQXIxJ6aXE9yX_Un8K0pPA/s2048/CC2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiWZ_Vqui0RlaoK8T8K6_2KJgfPm39c9yKfrrfpSbixlBDkHBWYzL7EauN3h8grKyidua2nAhpBvfViDsmIdnI3gE9DOtMUyJLI4u1_cvQ7RLWFsAm6CaG7MQXIxJ6aXE9yX_Un8K0pPA/s640/CC2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><p>If you've checked out my <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2019/11/cherry-pie-cupcakes.html" target="_blank">Cherry Pie Cupcakes</a>, this is the same base cupcake recipe but I added sprinkles. This is a tried and true vanilla cupcake recipe.</p><p>These cupcakes are so light and fluffy and so are the whipped filling and topping. Lately, I've been loving making easy icings with pudding mix. It gives a similar consistency to whipped cream, but with a little bit more body and it holds up much better. Plus, the icing comes together so quickly. I'm talking around 30 seconds. And the addition of Godiva chocolate pudding makes the cupcake richer without adding weight. These are not heavy cupcakes.</p>Perfect for a birthday. Perfect for when you just feel like making cupcakes because.<div><br /></div><div>Enjoy!</div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dEU-ANoBN30VzcJVLwvHu2QWQNsZfIiBr_aN_CUeSrCkU4du6dgJgRMZWQyzSMuAIWrKcGFnsfD4xKHodQtVMuCAE2G1ethBuuIT_mHcypbXjElYGH8KoLMZAJb8UyI3BvwuVGij6YI/s1120/FUNFETTICUPCAKESPinterest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3dEU-ANoBN30VzcJVLwvHu2QWQNsZfIiBr_aN_CUeSrCkU4du6dgJgRMZWQyzSMuAIWrKcGFnsfD4xKHodQtVMuCAE2G1ethBuuIT_mHcypbXjElYGH8KoLMZAJb8UyI3BvwuVGij6YI/s640/FUNFETTICUPCAKESPinterest.jpg" /></a></div><h4 style="clear: both; text-align: center;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><div style="text-align: center;"><h4><b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4><div><b>(Makes 12)</b></div><div><h4 style="text-align: left;">Cupcakes</h4></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />¾ c. sugar<br />2 eggs<br />½ c. vegetable oil<br />½ c. buttermilk<br />2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />½ tsp. baking soda<br />¼ tsp. salt<br />2 Tbsp. multi-colored sprinkles<br /><h4>White Chocolate Whipped Filling</h4><div><div>2 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>½ c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 package Godiva white chocolate pudding mix</div></div><div>1 Tbsp. multi-colored sprinkles</div><div><h4>Chocolate Whipped Icing</h4><div><div>2 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>½ c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 package Godiva dark chocolate pudding mix</div></div></div><div>More multi-colored sprinkles to top</div></div><h4 style="clear: both;">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4><div><h4><b>~ Directions ~</b></h4></div><div><div style="text-align: left;">Preheat oven to 350°.<br /><br />In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br /><br />In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and egg. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Finally, fold in the multi-colored sprinkles.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />While the cupcakes are baking, make the white chocolate filling. In a large bowl, whip together the white chocolate pudding mix, confectioners sugar and heavy creamy ingredients until light and fluffy. Fold in sprinkles. Set aside.</div></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, make the chocolate icing. Whip all ingredients together until light and fluffy. Set aside.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once the cupcakes have completely cooled (recommend allowing them to sit in the refrigerator for a while so you can work with them cold), use an apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Pipe some of the white chocolate filling into each cupcake.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5E60Ox2R37WUiBnK2CVQqg12DZMg8t0iIBFqnnNd3C6aq8m4GAAXwT_9TyTvKjBPVRL5MBN4YjjQ_rjrY9dNPnHo9lnuBNU72ns0CF-3SdmE8ROrnmfWJGIwyoRuj1zgPCHFJWOI-KAs/s2048/CC1.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5E60Ox2R37WUiBnK2CVQqg12DZMg8t0iIBFqnnNd3C6aq8m4GAAXwT_9TyTvKjBPVRL5MBN4YjjQ_rjrY9dNPnHo9lnuBNU72ns0CF-3SdmE8ROrnmfWJGIwyoRuj1zgPCHFJWOI-KAs/s640/CC1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Next, pipe some of the chocolate icing over. Top with more sprinkles.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgce7n5hO3SwKxloOtI15a-eip321PmAesq0CBUKmJZfeb9tz7C1ATofg6IN2SeTRNzyVp8VA8VFSycm0a7gqzH8kOpNHwdPiRXAUFup7lcHGKK_9xymhmd8RUs22rTNlPMPoZyuSw0I/s2048/CC5.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQgce7n5hO3SwKxloOtI15a-eip321PmAesq0CBUKmJZfeb9tz7C1ATofg6IN2SeTRNzyVp8VA8VFSycm0a7gqzH8kOpNHwdPiRXAUFup7lcHGKK_9xymhmd8RUs22rTNlPMPoZyuSw0I/s640/CC5.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-38342784729961784162020-02-15T07:07:00.002-05:002023-01-20T06:41:28.548-05:008-Bit Heart Chocolate-Covered Strawberry Cupcakes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello friends! I hope you all had a happy Valentine's Day and that you're surviving the subsequent sugar comma.</div>
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In general, I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day. As someone who is obsessed with holidays, it's probably my least favorite. There is just so much pink (not a fan of the color). And it really is amateur hour. Plus, an overpriced prix fixe dinner at an overcrowded restaurant really doesn't make my list of enjoyable outings. Keep it.</div>
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Last year my office hosted a baking contest for Valentine's Day and, while most people brought in adorable heart cookies and cakes, my slightly twisted and morbid self whipped up a 4-layer bloody anatomical heart cake. Red velvet flavor. Super tasty.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYvO_kmqHMqB8LM5z0VrL1jt_iaVPLUGPpUMxP4oDJgTLn3I22T87g8JtSj-GR-nS041FDtJ0TscVDK07-lfmdqHnKjT_yhNu_gJJdefM8rOhDjFwEG7YZxsRrraF6wFiIKwHIY6JN40/s1600/IMG_0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="1440" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvYvO_kmqHMqB8LM5z0VrL1jt_iaVPLUGPpUMxP4oDJgTLn3I22T87g8JtSj-GR-nS041FDtJ0TscVDK07-lfmdqHnKjT_yhNu_gJJdefM8rOhDjFwEG7YZxsRrraF6wFiIKwHIY6JN40/s640/IMG_0430.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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I mean, it's a heart, so it fits, right? I ended up taking home first prize and my coworkers were simultaneously impressed and disgusted. Mission: success.</div>
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As far as holidays are concerned, we can skip ahead to Easter. And then take me quickly to my faves: Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Please and thank you.</div>
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All that said, I never pass up the opportunity to bake something tasty and Valentine's Day is certainly an excuse to do so. If you're going to give a sweet treat for Valentine's Day I whole-heartily believe in going homemade. Anyone can go to the store and pick up candies. When it's homemade, it's more special because you took the time to make it. I go the homemade route whenever possible. And this year I decided to whip up a chocolate-covered strawberry cupcake recipe topped with an 8-bit heart appropriate for our nerdy household.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqhhVUWmq8ycBsa47aClM5qUCTtKAU9lWJOCI6J_yRm73oFghbBlIz7qTrwHPMgTKmlO9BfoSFA5wkjdElCCLH0N9zqcRt3GYnZsRFboS0rJEsVHQCIMJIZqAaP34qOcTim-YzkI-eQo/s1600/IMG_1574.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyqhhVUWmq8ycBsa47aClM5qUCTtKAU9lWJOCI6J_yRm73oFghbBlIz7qTrwHPMgTKmlO9BfoSFA5wkjdElCCLH0N9zqcRt3GYnZsRFboS0rJEsVHQCIMJIZqAaP34qOcTim-YzkI-eQo/s640/IMG_1574.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These tasty noms were the perfect addition to our simple Valentine's Day evening. Our usual Friday night is sushi and video games at home. This Friday was no different because, like I said, going out on Valentine's Day sounds awful and I wanted sushi. Despite the fact that we both pretty much agree we don't need to do much of anything for each other on Valentine's Day (he constantly spoils me throughout the year so it's really not necessary), I did come home to an unexpected gorgeous flower arrangement, a bottle of wine and a sweet card. 100% unnecessary but seriously, he is so thoughtful and I love him.</div>
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Of course, after that display, I got right to work on whipping up these cupcakes to repay him. I had made the 8-bit heart candies the night prior which I highly recommend you do as well. The candies need time to harden and if you decide to add the extra details to them, that part can get a bit time-consuming.</div>
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Of course, you could just go with more simplistic candies and skip the extra details I painted on but I felt like, for my candies, I needed that something extra to make that look more reminiscent of an 8-bit heart from the video games.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekCRJK7JpaIHANqbEEZMqH_X8KUdTRGzfON8UbdSnosaKNlYlh-8Z9iAWiTRStTVL5raC__rtvNZR2RaGAqXQzefZnJp5lzNpUhR4LR7QQv5eS7xQ1Q1weyKJCYXoppFNhoyqCWnW-0c/s1600/190-1905793_cutie-mark-request-legend-of-zelda-hearts-png.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="221" data-original-width="741" height="118" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekCRJK7JpaIHANqbEEZMqH_X8KUdTRGzfON8UbdSnosaKNlYlh-8Z9iAWiTRStTVL5raC__rtvNZR2RaGAqXQzefZnJp5lzNpUhR4LR7QQv5eS7xQ1Q1weyKJCYXoppFNhoyqCWnW-0c/s400/190-1905793_cutie-mark-request-legend-of-zelda-hearts-png.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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To make the edible paint for the detail on the hearts, I used a mixture of edible adhesive, luster dust and a little bit of water, applied with a paintbrush. There are many different methods you could use to get the same effect. Royal icing would work as well.</div>
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The cupcakes themselves have a strawberry filling in the center. I just used store-bought jam this time around. I do recommend picking up a jam that has some of the fruit mixed in, rather than a super sugary overprocessed jelly. I just think it balances much better with the chocolate and makes for a better cupcake.</div>
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The great thing about these cupcakes is they are pretty standard chocolate so, in reality, you can use any filling you want. I've actually made this same cupcake recipe previously with raspberry jam and also with peppermint cream cheese filling. It lends itself to experimentation and flexibility so have fun with it!</div>
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We also decided to pop open a bottle of creme de cassis we picked up at <a href="http://www.cassismonna.com/en/" target="_blank">Cassis Monna & Filles</a> when we were in Quebec City a few years ago. It made a delightful Valentine's cocktail to accompany the cupcakes: one shot of the creme de cassis topped off with champagne.</div>
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Whether you love celebrating Valentine's Day or you're like me and it's not really your thing, these cupcakes are sure to delight. Hope you all enjoy!</div>
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4>
<h4>
<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<b>(Makes 12)</b></div>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Chocolate Cupcakes</h4>
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<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />
¾ c. sugar<br />
½ c. cacao powder (cocoa will also work)<br />
2 eggs<br />
¾ c. vegetable oil<br />
½ c. buttermilk<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />
½ tsp. baking soda<br />
¼ tsp. salt<br />
Strawberry jam</div>
</div>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Whipped Cream Icing</h4>
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<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div>
2 c. heavy whipping cream</div>
<div>
½ c. confectioners sugar</div>
<div>
1 package (3.6 oz.) Godiva dark chocolate pudding mix</div>
</div>
</div>
</h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
8-Bit Hearts</h4>
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<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
Red candy melts<br />
8-bit silicone heart mold (like <a href="https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B071VBPVRK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1" target="_blank">this one</a> from Amazon)<br />
Edible adhesive<br />
Silver luster dust<br />
Paintbrush</div>
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_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _</h4>
<h4>
<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="font-weight: 400;">
</div>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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Preheat oven to 350°.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.</div>
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<br /></div>
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In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and egg. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Mix in the cacao powder. Finally, slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.</div>
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<br /></div>
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.</div>
<div style="font-weight: 400;">
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<div style="font-weight: 400;">
While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. In a large bowl, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: 400;">
Use an apple corer or similar instrument to remove the centers from each of the cooled cupcakes. Pipe a bit of the strawberry jam into the center of each.</div>
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<div style="font-weight: 400; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Recommend doing the day prior: <span style="font-weight: 400;">To create the 8-bit hearts melt the red candy melts in a double-boiler until liquified. Pour the mixture into the silicone mold and place in the freezer to harden.</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4goiM78op5lb5ybwtUy2ONdZFovgXFIdhHMUQ2hSOSLd6ArlDvCKbXtxcBA5eJWGj6y694DMJ7FB3nARLqu-9SBDQcGG1OPDEuUbPaaCKKwZ6CQ2mcWwQR2TrujvaRwQukR4zsb5_OHQ/s1600/IMG_1572.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4goiM78op5lb5ybwtUy2ONdZFovgXFIdhHMUQ2hSOSLd6ArlDvCKbXtxcBA5eJWGj6y694DMJ7FB3nARLqu-9SBDQcGG1OPDEuUbPaaCKKwZ6CQ2mcWwQR2TrujvaRwQukR4zsb5_OHQ/s640/IMG_1572.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: 400;">Once hardened, remove the hearts from the mold. Mix the luster dust with some of the edible adhesive and a little bit of water until you have a somewhat watery paste that is the right consistency to paint with. Use a paintbrush to apply the mixture to the candy hearts in whatever pattern you'd like. I painted a border around each heart and a little accent in the upper left corner.</span><br />
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<br /></div>
<div style="font-weight: 400;">
Once all your elements are ready, pipe the whipped icing over each cupcake and top with the 8-bit heart.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-4100517528066249242020-02-12T17:48:00.001-05:002023-01-18T20:40:09.570-05:00Dragon Scale Dice Bags<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello friends! It's time for some nerdy crafting.<br />
<br />
I'm a D&D player. You've likely seen me post on here about that before. I love D&D crafts. Fun things I can make for the people we play with. I've made dice trays for myself and a few others in our group. But one item that has become something of a right of passage when joining our little group is a dragon scale dice bag. I've made them for everyone who has come along to play with us at one point or another. I think I've made around 10 of them, all in different colors.<br />
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With this last round, I finally decided to record how I make them and share with you here. Despite how these may look they are actually incredibly easy to make if you have a basic knowledge of how to crochet. And they come together so fast. You can make one in just a few hours. All you need is some colored yarn, some scales, and a crochet hook.<br />
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The scale part may be what has you scratching your head. "Where can I find scales?" you may be asking. A while back when I first had the idea to do this I searched the internet for scales and stumbled on a Canadian company called <a href="https://theringlord.com/cart/" target="_blank">The Ring Lord</a>. They have a pretty substantial selection of scale mail supplies - tons of scales in varying sizes and colors. Since then, I've purchased all my scales through them and I have not once been disappointed. The quality of their products is great, the prices are low, and the shipping is fast. If you feel so inclined to do this project I highly recommend using them as your scale source.<br />
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<b> ~ What You Need ~</b></h4>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
G/6 4.25mm crochet hook (this size fits perfectly through the holes of the scales I use mentioned below)<br />
Weight 4 yarn in color of your choice (I use <a href="https://www.michaels.com/caron-simply-soft-yarn-solid/M10109896.html?dwvar_M10109896_size=6%20oz&dwvar_M10109896_color=Autumn%20Red" target="_blank">Caron Simply Soft</a>)<br />
Scales in color of your choice (I use small anodized aluminum scales from <a href="https://theringlord.com/cart/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=244&cat=Scales+%2D+Small+and+Tiny" target="_blank">The Ring Lord</a>)<br />
Cording in color of your choice (I use this <a href="https://www.michaels.com/bead-landing-suede-cording-value-pack/10395126.html" target="_blank">suede cording</a>)<br />
Large eye needle (sized for yarn)<br />
Scissors</div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
NOTE: I do not include instructions for each stitch in this pattern. If you are not familiar with crochet stitches, there are many videos on YouTube that can walk you through how to do the basic stitches in this pattern. This is a pretty quick and easy beginning pattern that uses only basic stitches.<br />
<br />
st = stitch<br />
ch = chain stitch<br />
ss = slip stitch<br />
sc = single crochet<br />
dc = double crochet<br />
<br />
Row 1: ch3, ss into first st to form a circle, ch1 (3 sts)<br />
Row 2: sc2 into each st, ss into first st, ch1 (6 sts)<br />
Row 3: sc2 into each st, ss into first st, ch1 (12 sts)<br />
Row 4: [sc1, sc2 into same st] repeat 5 more times, ss into first st, ch1 (18 sts)<br />
Row 5: [sc1, sc2 into same st] repeat 8 more times, ss into first st, ch1 (27 sts)<br />
Row 6: [sc2, sc2 into same st] repeat 8 more times, ss into first st, ch1 (38 sts)<br />
Row 7: sc38, ss into first st, ch1 (38 sts)<br />
Row 8-18: [sc1, sc1 with scale*] repeat 18 more times, ss into first st, ch1 (38 sts)<br />
Row 19: sc38, ss into first st, ch1 (38 sts)<br />
Row 20: [sc1 into next two stitches (dec 1)] repeat 18 more times, ss into first sts, ch 2 (XX sts)<br />
Row 21: dc19, ss into first st, tie off<br />
<br />
*To crochet with scale, put a scale on the hook and the crochet as you normally would, bringing the yarn through the scale. See photo examples below.<br />
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Take your large sewing needle and weave in the loose ends of the yarn.</div>
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<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Cut a piece of cord 6 inches long. Weave the cord through the holes left in the top double crochet row in the top of the bag. Tie the two ends of the cord together and cut off the excess.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-86489190629546785032019-11-26T10:00:00.001-05:002023-01-18T21:00:46.358-05:00Apple Butter Overnight Oats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, hello there. Hoping you're well on this fine day. Thanksgiving is nearly here and that has me in the mood for everything autumn. I just love this time of year. The season changes. The holiday season begins. Everything is more magical.<br />
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I love autumn cooking and baking. The flavors are great but I also love the way it makes the house smell. It really puts you in the fall mood. Homemade apple butter made in the slow cooker is one of the best things to make if you want your home to smell amazing all day. I whipped some up recently using <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2014/11/homemade-slow-cooker-apple-butter.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a>.<br />
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And so now I have quite a bit of apple butter for use in a variety of things. Naturally, I decided to whip up an overnight oats recipe making use of it. And naturally, this recipe is delicious. If you have some apple butter on-hand, try this oats recipe out for breakfast. And, if you don't have any apple butter readily available, you should make some. :)<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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½ c. rolled oats</div>
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½ c. unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)</div>
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1 tsp. chia seed (optional)</div>
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1 tsp. flax seed (optional)</div>
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1 Tbsp. <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2014/11/homemade-slow-cooker-apple-butter.html" target="_blank">Apple Butter</a></div>
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Chopped pecans (optional)</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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In a bowl, combine all ingredients together.<br />
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Store in a mason jar or other sealed container overnight, or at least for a few hours. Top with chopped pecans, if desired.<br />
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Grab a spoon and dig in!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-66478415254222893082019-11-24T08:27:00.006-05:002023-01-20T06:41:17.299-05:00Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese Cake (for one)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well, it's finally starting to feel like autumn in Florida. About time. It's been such a hot summer and I've been craving this cooler weather. One of my favorite times of year. Falling leaves, sweater weather, football, the holidays, and pumpkin. Ah, pumpkin. Autumn's favorite squash used in pretty much every way imaginable from coffee to pies to jack-o-lanterns. I love pumpkin. Everything pumpkin. Basic? Yeah, probably. But I'm not sorry.<br />
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I love fall because it means I can use pumpkin in a variety of recipes without being judged. Because I was making things with pumpkin during the summer but people definitely judged me for it.</div>
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The main event for today is Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cake. This is a great single-serve healthy dessert perfect for when you're craving something decadently pumpkin but don't want to go overboard on the sugar or fat. This one won't ruin your diet. It's a very similar recipe to the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Baked Oatmeal, just as a cake instead of baked oats. Yummy pumpkin cake surrounds a warm gooey cream cheese center.<br />
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It's fantastic. You need this in your life.</div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Pumpkin Batter</b></h4>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
3 Tbsp. whole wheat flour<br />
3 Tbsp. unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)<br />
3 Tbsp. pumpkin purée</div>
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½ tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
⅛ tsp. pumpkin pie spice*<br />
¼ tsp. baking powder<br />
½ tsp. vanilla extract<br />
½ Tbsp. maple syrup<br />
Chopped pecans or unsweetened shredded coconut (to top)<br />
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Cream Cheese Filling</h4>
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1 Tbsp. reduced-fat cream cheese</div>
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½ tsp. stevia</div>
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½ tsp. vanilla extract<br />
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<i><span style="font-size: x-small;">*If you don't have pumpkin pie spice you can make it by mixing equal parts ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.</span></i></div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Preheat oven to 350° and grease a small ramekin.<br />
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In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the pumpkin batter. In a separate bowl, mix the ingredients for the cream cheese filling.<br />
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Scoop half of the pumpkin batter into the ramekin. Next, add the cream cheese mixture. Then pour the remaining batter on top, being sure to fully cover the cream cheese. Top with chopped pecans or shredded coconut, if desired.<br />
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Bake for 25 minutes, or until fork inserted into the cake comes out clean. Let cool slightly before chowing down.<br />
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Dig into the cake and the ooey gooey cream cheese center melts all over the pumpkin. It's AMAZING!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-75036250052490346372019-11-07T07:55:00.001-05:002023-01-20T06:41:08.288-05:00Cherry Pie Cupcakes with Whipped Cream Icing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Well hello there. I hope you're doing well on this fine day.<br />
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Today's recipe is a special one in honor of my dad, who just celebrated a birthday. Every year since I can remember my dad hasn't wanted cake on his birthday. His birthday dessert of choice has always been cherry pie. And my mother has always made it for him. I'm not exactly sure when this tradition started but cherry pie is always a dish that makes me think of my father.<br />
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This year was, of course, no different. My dad got his cherry pie. But I was working on his birthday so I wasn't able to join to celebrate. As such, I wanted to surprise him with something special. I happened to have the day off directly after his birthday so I decided to pop by his office and bring him cupcakes. But not just any cupcakes. Cherry pie themed cupcakes seemed appropriate.<br />
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Yes, these cupcakes are reminiscent of cherry pie. Light and fluffy vanilla cupcakes with a cherry jam in the center topped with a whipped cream icing. Because everyone likes whipped creak on their pie.<br />
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I brought enough for him to share and not only did he love them, so did his coworkers. I suspect these cupcakes could really work well with almost any type of jam or filling so feel free to get creative!<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
<div>
<b>(Makes 12)</b></div>
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Cupcakes</h4>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />
¾ c. sugar<br />
2 eggs<br />
½ c. vegetable oil<br />
½ c. buttermilk<br />
2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />
½ tsp. baking soda<br />
¼ tsp. salt<br />
Cherry jam<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Whipped Cream Icing</h4>
<div>
<div>
2 c. heavy whipping cream</div>
<div>
½ c. confectioners sugar</div>
<div>
1 package (3.9 oz.) white chocolate pudding mix (I use Ghirardelli)</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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<div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
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In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br />
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In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and egg. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat well. Slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Once cupcakes are cool, use an apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Scoop a bit of the cherry jam into the center of each.<br />
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While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. In a large bowl, whip together all ingredients until light and fluffy. Refrigerate until ready to use. Pipe over cupcakes once they are completely cooled. Add some sprinkles on top for flair, if you'd like.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-57090401917999459582019-10-31T14:22:00.005-04:002023-01-20T06:40:57.071-05:00Pumpkin King Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Icing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjX-SI-vie_K_GrXOvfNBJ8X6EtEKu_Or9_LU33NmL4zGry3-kSPRRO_SFxO7tiLBbVDSLzwTHwhwOKouvV0KcYuxpAIf__oS7g-bjwWyamaN_G_nvUst9tg9s5acJIdOMo9TBrc-1gk/s1600/IMG_1219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkjX-SI-vie_K_GrXOvfNBJ8X6EtEKu_Or9_LU33NmL4zGry3-kSPRRO_SFxO7tiLBbVDSLzwTHwhwOKouvV0KcYuxpAIf__oS7g-bjwWyamaN_G_nvUst9tg9s5acJIdOMo9TBrc-1gk/s640/IMG_1219.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This is Halloween. This is Halloween.</div>
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HALLOWEEN! HALLOWEEN!</div>
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I love Halloween. Could you tell? The Halloween season kicks off the marathon of holidays through New Year's. It's my absolute favorite time of year.</div>
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I go all out for Halloween. Our house is decorated. My office is decorated. I must watch all the Halloween movies. Pumpkin spice everything (I'm a basic bitch sometimes. Don't hate). Sweater weather. Fall festivals. Haunted houses. Spooky ghosts.</div>
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And autumn baking!</div>
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I love baking and holiday baking is the peak of my baking enjoyment. This year for Halloween, our office decided to do a Halloween dish contest. There were two categories: baked goods and snacks. Dishes were judged on taste and Halloween theming.</div>
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This was a perfect chance for me to go all-out. I don't half-ass any baking contest ever.</div>
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Since it's Halloween, I developed a pumpkin cake. I used food coloring to give it a striped black and orange look. And the whole thing is topped with my trusty spiced cream cheese icing. I really think cream cheese icings go best with pumpkin cakes/cupcakes.</div>
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The cake recipe turned out perfectly. But I didn't stop there. More theming was needed. I don't do any baking half-ass, remember?</div>
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This cake took on a Nightmare Before Christmas theme. I used black and white fondant to make the whole thing look like Jack Skellington's head. A goal of mine this year has been to improve my cake decorating skills and I think I'm getting better. This one turned decently.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79EHCOuY82BjWAhDhGMqqxv7i6A0P3rOTQhVyv9eaZkRrPlcsGCyFL3DOUvOYs6RE6IhQg_kcL2g-2RSWW_WhQlYbWMm14RAgV1OMJkSawVEZxPOS3rbR2gQ0tWDFAMHfLumMNo7ytvI/s1600/IMG_1217.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi79EHCOuY82BjWAhDhGMqqxv7i6A0P3rOTQhVyv9eaZkRrPlcsGCyFL3DOUvOYs6RE6IhQg_kcL2g-2RSWW_WhQlYbWMm14RAgV1OMJkSawVEZxPOS3rbR2gQ0tWDFAMHfLumMNo7ytvI/s640/IMG_1217.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And I won!</div>
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This cake is super tasty. It will now be my go-to for Halloween/fall get-togethers. Maybe without all the pomp and circumstance of the Jack Skellington head. And if you want to bake this yourself but you're intimidated by the Jack Skellington theming, this cake is just as tasty as a more simplistic four-layer cake without that extra piece.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDiLKn9ycHa4Gr1-i9EHN0hAfFZwccYIVmUIP4R0tmoEtzB4J3ijkkPWld4Ohs6fYJd5vwPZAX5e843gEIJgggjfNiQEoLGE0haj2GlWb0mDYUwJyILtCFrmzT71v3CWVomSkR-coG60/s1600/PumpkinKingCakePinterest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKDiLKn9ycHa4Gr1-i9EHN0hAfFZwccYIVmUIP4R0tmoEtzB4J3ijkkPWld4Ohs6fYJd5vwPZAX5e843gEIJgggjfNiQEoLGE0haj2GlWb0mDYUwJyILtCFrmzT71v3CWVomSkR-coG60/s640/PumpkinKingCakePinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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<b>Pumpkin Cake</b></h4>
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2 ¾ c. flour<br />
2 tsp. baking powder<br />
1 tsp. baking soda<br />
½ tsp. salt<br />
¾ c. butter, softened<br />
1 c. sugar<br />
1 c. brown sugar<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 c. pumpkin purée<br />
½ c. buttermilk<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
½ tsp. ground nutmeg<br />
½ tsp. ground ginger<br />
Orange food coloring<br />
0.5 oz. Black food coloring</div>
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Spiced Cream Cheese Icing</h4>
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8 oz. cream cheese brought to room temperature</div>
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1 c. heavy whipping cream</div>
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1 c. confectioners sugar</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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2 tsp. ground cinnamon</div>
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¼ tsp. ground nutmeg</div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Preheat over to 350° and grease four 8-inch round baking pans.<br />
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In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br />
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In a larger bowl, whip sugar, brown sugar, and butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla extract, pumpkin, buttermilk, and spices.<br />
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Slowly add dry mixture to wet mixture, beating well until combined.<br />
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Split the batter evenly between two separate bowls. Add 8 drops of orange food dye to one bowl and the all the black to the other, mixing until there is color throughout.<br />
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Move the batter to the four round cake pans. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.<br />
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While the cakes are baking, make the icing. In one bowl whip together the cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream mixture and whip together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.<br />
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Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to completely cool before icing. Carefully slice off the very top of each cake, making the tops completely flat and even. Stack the layers with icing in between, alternating the colors.<br />
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If you're making a Jack Skellington cake, roll out the black and white fondant and shape over the cake to get the look you're going for.<br />
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If you're just making a traditional cake without the Nightmare Before Christmas flair, ice the top and sides of the cake. I like to ice this cake so it has a naked look but you can be more generous with the icing and completely cover it if you so desire. The naked look is kinda nice for a rustic fall-looking cake.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-57788453688239816392019-10-03T18:14:00.003-04:002023-01-20T06:40:49.273-05:00Apple Cider Cupcakes with Spiced Rum Apple Filling & Whipped Salted Caramel Buttercream<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's officially fall! Well...kinda. Florida still feels like summer. It's not quite as humid and I can feel the season trying to change but regardless, the high today was still in the 90s. Man, I am so ready for cooler weather.<br />
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And so I go to the kitchen and I cook and bake recipes that make it feel like autumn indoors. And today I'm coming to you with a new cupcake recipe.<br />
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I was dusting off our mini bar the other day and noticed a few different liquors that have been sitting on the bar for a long time without being used. This got me thinking about other potential ways to make use of them. One of those liquors was a spiced rum which pairs well with fall spiced dishes. So, I started thinking about ways to potentially incorporate the rum into an apple cupcake.<br />
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I haven't experimented much with adding filling to cupcakes up until now. That seemed like a good place to incorporate the rum. Apples cooked in rum. Almost like an apple pie filling. Inside an apple cider cupcake. A delightful little surprise! And incorporating caramel into the icing. Yes, that sounds delicious.<br />
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I love making everything from scratch when I can so I whipped up a homemade caramel sauce to add to my icing. If you've never made homemade caramel before, don't be intimidated. It's easier than you might think. The key is to not leave the caramel unattended. If you walk away even for a moment you risk burning the sugar. But if you have eyes on the caramel at all times and you're stirring consistently you'll be able to time everything right to make a perfect caramel.<br />
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I decided to go with a buttercream for this recipe. Mostly because I tend to gravitate toward cream cheese icings and I felt like doing something different. Whether I make a cream cheese or a buttercream icing, I like to incorporate whipped cream to lighten it up a bit. It helps the icing to not be so heavy, especially when you have a rich cake. This buttercream is salted caramel flavored and does incorporate the whipped cream to lighten it up. I was very happy with the finished product.<br />
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With all the different pieces and parts, these cupcakes were a little more on the time-intensive side. This is definitely not a dessert recipe that is easily thrown together at the last minute. But spending the extra time is absolutely worth it.<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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<b>(Makes 12)</b></div>
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Cupcakes</h4>
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<div style="text-align: left;"><div>1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour</div><div>¼ c. sugar</div><div>½ brown sugar</div><div>2 eggs</div><div>½ c. vegetable oil</div><div>½ c. buttermilk</div>
½ c. apple cider<br />
1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
1 tsp. cinnamon<br />
¼ tsp. nutmeg<br />
½ tsp. baking powder<br />
½ tsp. baking soda<br />
¼ tsp. salt<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Spiced Rum Apple Filling</h4>
<div>
3 red apples<br />
¼ c. brown sugar<br />
1 Tbsp. lemon juice<br />
½ tsp. cinnamon<br />
Dash of nutmeg<br />
¼ c. spiced rum (I used Captain Morgan)</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Salted Caramel Sauce</h4>
<div>
1 c. sugar</div>
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6 Tbsp. unsalted butter</div>
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½ c. heavy whipping cream</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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2 tsp. salt</div>
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Whipped Salted Caramel Buttercream Icing</h4>
<div>
<div>
1 c. unsalted, softened</div>
<div>
1 c. heavy whipping cream</div>
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1 c. confectioners sugar</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />
½ c. salted caramel sauce</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
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In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br />
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In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and eggs until light and fluffy. Beat in apple cider, buttermilk, oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Slowly add dry mixture and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.<br />
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Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool.<br />
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While the cupcakes are baking, make the apple mixture. Peel and core the apples and chop into small pieces. In a large bowl, toss the apples in the lemon juice. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg and mix until apples are evenly coated.<br />
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Move the apple mixture to a large skillet and add the rum. Cook on medium-high heat until the mixture starts to boil. Then, reduce the heat to medium and continue to stir until the apples are tender and the mixture thickens (about 10 minutes). You can add a teaspoon of corn starch to help it thicken if you'd like. Remove to a bowl and allow to cool.<br />
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If you're not using pre-made caramel sauce, whip up the salted caramel mixture. Start by melting the sugar in a medium-sized saucepan. Continue to mix as the sugar melts so it doesn't get clumpy. Continue to stir the melted sugar until it becomes a golden color. Then, add the butter and whisk until the butter is melted and the butter and sugar are well combined.<br />
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Remove the saucepan from the heat and add the heavy whipping cream. Whisk until all ingredients are combined. Finally, mix in the vanilla extract and salt. Pour the sauce into a glass container like a mason jar and allow to cool completely.<br />
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To make the icing, in one bowl whip together the butter, caramel, and vanilla extract. Whip until smooth. In a separate bowl whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add the butter mixture to the whipped cream mixture and whip together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.<br />
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Use an apple corer or comparable tool to remove the center of each cupcake. Spoon a bit of the apple filling into each cupcake until the center is full.<br />
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Pipe the buttercream icing over each cupcake. Drizzle with some extra caramel, if desired.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-64975281447285791642019-08-04T15:25:00.003-04:002023-01-18T21:01:04.308-05:00Coconut Latte Overnight Oats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Happy weekend!<br />
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I don't know about you guys, but I'm sick of summer. Sure, summer is fun for beach time and whatnot. But when you're like me and you have no time for a quick trip to the beach, let alone a full vacation, summer is just hot. Really, really hot. If you're not in Florida, you may not be feeling it as much. But it is pretty miserable down here right now.<br />
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Oh, and did I mention the constant rain?<br />
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Anyway, given the constant weather issues, if safe to assume I'm spending most of my time inside dreaming about fall and cooler weather. And Halloween!<br />
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In the interim, it would be nice to get some beach time in. So I've been making dishes and decorations for the apartment that gives me a little bit of a beachy feeling. Today's overnight oats recipe is in that vein: Coconut Latte Overnight Oats.<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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½ c. rolled oats</div>
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¼ c. unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)<br />
¼ c. brewed coffee<br />
1 tsp. chia seed (optional)</div>
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1 tsp. flax seed (optional)<br />
½ tsp. coconut extract<br />
½ tsp. stevia<br />
1 Tbsp. unsweetened shredded coconut</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or other sealable container and let set in the refrigerator overnight, or at least for a few hours.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-30119798694164582522019-07-27T15:46:00.002-04:002023-01-18T21:01:17.983-05:00Banana Bread Overnight Oats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello and happy weekend!<br />
<br />
Back at it again with another overnight oats recipe. Can't stop, won't stop. This time coming to you with a recipe that delightfully tastes like banana bread.<br />
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That's it. That's all I have to say. Now to the recipe.<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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½ c. rolled oats</div>
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½ c. unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)</div>
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1 tsp. chia seed (optional)</div>
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1 tsp. flax seed (optional)<br />
½ tsp. vanilla extract<br />
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon<br />
½ tsp. stevia<br />
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">½ banana, <span style="background-color: white;">puréed</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">1 Tbsp.</span></span> chopped walnuts (to top)</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or other sealable container and let set in the refrigerator overnight, or at least for a few hours.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-57188241959661936222019-07-17T20:16:00.002-04:002023-01-18T20:40:42.791-05:00Wine Cork Starfish<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello friends! I'm back at it again with the DIY. I love making new things and I especially love seasonal crafts. Walk into my place and you'll immediately know what season we're in. Especially if it's Christmas time. But, of course, right now we're in the midst of summer. And it's hot. Too hot. Thank goodness for air conditioning. I decided to put together a little project to remind me of the beach when it's too hot and rainy to actually go. A wine cork starfish!</div>
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I love crafting with wine corks. Aside from the obvious perk that I get to drink wine to obtain my crafting materials, wine corks can be used for so many cute and easy projects. I save all my wine corks for when the DIY bug strikes and I've told family members to save theirs as well for me. After a while, I end up with a really great stash to create whatever I want.</div>
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All of this started a while back with my making a wine cork pumpkin I saw on Pinterest. And now, with this post, I officially have a fun little cork decoration to represent all four seasons.</div>
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Autumn: <a href="https://www.mygourmetconnection.com/how-to-make-a-wine-cork-pumpkin/" target="_blank">Wine Cork Pumpkin by My Gourmet Connection</a></div>
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Winter: <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2018/11/wine-cork-christmas-tree.html" target="_blank">Wine Cork Christmas Tree</a></div>
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Spring: <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2019/03/wine-cork-easter-bunny.html" target="_blank">Wine Cork Easter Bunny</a></div>
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And, of course, for summer, we circle back here to this starfish. This is honestly the trickiest and most time-consuming one I've done just because there isn't a lot of stacking. You have the starfish arms sticking out everywhere and not a lot of foundation like you have with the others. But if you're willing to put in the little bit of extra time, it's worth it.</div>
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<b>~ What You Need ~</b></h4>
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30 wine corks<br />
1 champagne cork</div>
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1 seashell<br />
Small wood piece (for stand)<br />
Hot glue gun</div>
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Before you start gluing, I recommend you arrange the corks in the shape if the starfish. Play around with the position of the arms until you get them just how you like them. Then, take a picture for reference. This makes the gluing process a lot quicker.<br />
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Start by making the five arms of the starfish. Each arm takes six corks. Glue them together one at a time, arranging them according to the reference photo you just took. This gluing process will take some time. Since these arms will be defying gravity a bit, you need to hold each cork in place long enough to allow the glue to completely dry. If you don't, the arms will fall apart. Repeat this process until you have all six arms completed.<br />
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Once all the arms are done and completely dry, take the two bottom arms that the starfish will stand on and glue them to the wood piece. You can really use any types of wood piece for this. I found mine at Michael's for around $2.<br />
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Next, glue the champagne cork on top of the two bottom arms. So, you'll have a little body balanced on two arms. Again, make sure you're letting the glue completely dry before moving on.<br />
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Glue the three remaining arms around the champagne cork. With these, you will need to hold them in place for quite a while before they are secure. I had a few instances where mine fell off and I had to try again. You may even want to put something under the arms to keep them in place while the glue drys.<br />
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Once all the arms are in place, glue the seashell to the front of the champagne cork.<br />
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And that's it! You're done! It's a pretty easy process. The most time-consuming part is keeping the corks in place while the glue dries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4_rwfXxe394vy-maQtjgkynkl833o_QjDBtRWE7vHccoTcE1uX4gPDGSEUweAXlBBYDx9LcEM9GyAKPOQwIIwIG7WVFezAAkGhc_6ebG1Qt6T_INzyDQhNQRUf7-1-aUPACRcDNBXjw/s1600/IMG_0909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4_rwfXxe394vy-maQtjgkynkl833o_QjDBtRWE7vHccoTcE1uX4gPDGSEUweAXlBBYDx9LcEM9GyAKPOQwIIwIG7WVFezAAkGhc_6ebG1Qt6T_INzyDQhNQRUf7-1-aUPACRcDNBXjw/s640/IMG_0909.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Enjoy your new summer decor!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-40484052892992841572019-06-16T07:04:00.002-04:002023-01-20T06:39:38.567-05:00Raisin Filled Cookies<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Good morning and happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!</span></div>
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Father's Day in the Bouch household has always been simple. My dad doesn't like a lot of fuss. Really, he just wants to chill at home and have a chance to relax on Father's Day. So, typically, I'll spend the day at my parents' house, we cook him something that usually involves steak and we give him a few gifts.</div>
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Funnily enough, his favorite gift that we must get him every year is one of those corny picture mugs. My mother had one made with a photo of my brother and me when we were infants way back when and my dad loved it so much he decided he wanted one every year with a new photo on it. All these years later we still hold up the tradition. He has even said he wants to continue to receive mugs with photos of his grandkids on them when my brother and I eventually have kids.</div>
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Oh, and I also gift him cookies.</div>
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I decided to bring you all this recipe today in honor of my amazing dad. My dad has a favorite cookie recipe that his mother and grandmother used to make when he was younger. Before my grandmother passed away I was able to capture and record a lot of her best family recipes. And my dad's favorite cookies was one of them. Every year since I got a hold of this recipe - probably about 10 years now - I've made him these cookies for Father's Day.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYkA2k51yrA5nyn8H2SV_Oy1YMMQ2mLdYyIlC5a0g6KemYrzz4QtOWLOjT3E6DXeDDQ0xnMWlaoftqrnPiPb60jZyiXI3PigLZeS00OrYiSnptX-Fx4N5B8L9YX5kvlt_Ix0QUGiOj3c/s1600/IMG_0812.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRYkA2k51yrA5nyn8H2SV_Oy1YMMQ2mLdYyIlC5a0g6KemYrzz4QtOWLOjT3E6DXeDDQ0xnMWlaoftqrnPiPb60jZyiXI3PigLZeS00OrYiSnptX-Fx4N5B8L9YX5kvlt_Ix0QUGiOj3c/s640/IMG_0812.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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These cookies are very simple in flavor. They're basically hand pies filled with a delicious soft raisin filling. They're not overly sweet. The flavor is very satisfying.</div>
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I really only make these for Father's Day (or random other occasions if my dad asks for them) but they would go well with any occasion. And you can multiply the recipe if you need more to feed a crowd.</div>
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<b>(Makes a dozen cookies)</b></div>
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Dough</h4>
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2 ½ c. all-purpose flour<br />
1 c. sugar<br />
1 egg<br />
⅔ c. unsalted butter, softened<br />
1 c. sour cream<br />
¾ tsp. salt<br />
1 tsp. baking powder<br />
½ tsp. baking soda<br />
½ tsp. vanilla extract<br />
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Filling</h4>
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¾ c. raisins</div>
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2 c. water</div>
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¼ tsp. cornstarch</div>
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Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
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In a small saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in water. Add raisins and cook on medium-high heat until the water comes to a boil. Lower heat to medium-low and allow to cook until raisins are soft. Drain and move raisins to a bowl.<br />
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While the raisins are cooking, make the dough. In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients except flour. Mix until well blended. Slowly add flour until a soft ball of dough is formed. At a certain point in this process, you will likely need to switch to a dough hook attachment or hand kneading, as the dough gets very thick.<br />
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At this point, you have two options. Option 1 is the way my family recipe was written. I personally feel like it's too time-consuming so I generally use option 2. The results are the same.<br />
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<b>Option 1:</b> Divide dough into two halves. Place on floured surface and roll, adding flour as needed. Roll until about a quarter of an inch thick. Cut with a 2-inch round cookie cutter. Place 12 bottom cookie halves on a greased baking sheet and cover with a heaping teaspoon of raisins. Top each cookie with a second, slightly thinner layer of dough and seal edges.<br />
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<b>Option 2:</b> Separate the dough into 12 balls. Take one of the balls of dough and use your hand to flatten it into a disc. Add a heaping teaspoon of raisins and seal the dough around it. At this point, you have a raising-filled dough ball. Place the dough ball on a greased baking sheet and gently press it down a little to flatten it into more of a thick cookie shape. Repeat the process with the other 12 balls of dough.<br />
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Take a fork and pierce the top of each cookie. This allows the hand pie to vent so the edges don't separate from the pressure.<br />
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Bake for 12-15 minutes until cookies are golden and dough is cooked through.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-58614651129926158182019-06-09T17:48:00.002-04:002023-01-18T21:01:42.488-05:00Blueberry Cheesecake Overnight Oats<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hi friends!<br />
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Coming to you today with another overnight oats recipes. If you've browsed this blog for more than a minute you've seen my obsession with overnight oats. They have been my breakfast staple for years now. They're delicious, nutritious and filling and I never get bored of them because there are virtually infinite flavor options. Plus, as a working woman, it's hard to find time to make breakfast in the morning before work. But if I whip up five servings of overnight oats on Sunday and store them in mason jars I'm all set for the week. I just roll out of bed in the morning, grab a mason jar from the fridge and dig in.<br />
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For anyone who needs breakfast in the morning (guilty - I get super hangry without it) but doesn't have much time I always recommend trying overnight oats at least once. Give it a try. See if you like it. If you do, your breakfast problem is solved. And you can start making any flavor you want. When I first started eating overnight oats I found Pinterest to be a great resource for recipes. Eventually, I started experimenting with my own combinations and you'll see many of those recipes on this blog. I'm trying new ones all the time.<br />
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Which brings us to today's new flavor: Blueberry Cheesecake. These oats use a combination of low-fat cream cheese and, of course, blueberries to give breakfast an indulgent dessert feel. But, I assure you, these are 100% guilt-free and are a great nutritious way to start the day. That'll be our little secret.<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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½ c. rolled oats</div>
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½ c. unsweetened almond milk (or your milk of choice)</div>
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1 tsp. chia seed (optional)</div>
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1 tsp. flax seed (optional)<br />
½ tsp. vanilla extract<br />
¼ tsp. butter extract<br />
½ tsp. stevia<br />
1 Tbsp. low-fat cream cheese<br />
Handful of blueberries</div>
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Combine all ingredients in a mason jar or other sealable container and let set in the refrigerator overnight, or at least for a few hours.<br />
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Enjoy your little indulgence on a busy morning. It's the little things.</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-23244935521655594592019-05-29T19:53:00.040-04:002023-01-20T06:39:28.494-05:00Creamsicle Cupcakes with Orange Filling & Cream Cheese Icing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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EDIT: This original post is older but I just updated the cupcake recipe to make it much better. Enjoy!</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Hello friends! I hop you've had a restful long weekend. Of course, no matter how long the weekend is, it never feels long enough, does it?</div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /></div><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
A few days ago we were figuring out the menu for our Memorial Day family get-together. I, of course, wanted to bake something new and fun. As I was in thinking mode, Nate happened to mention as an aside that he was afraid to open our bottle of Bloomery Cremma Lemma. What is Cremma Lemma and why would he be afraid to open it?<br />
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<a href="http://www.spiritsforadventure.com/" target="_blank">Bloomery</a> is a distillery in West Virginia. I mentioned it once before on this blog (see <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2015/07/creamsicle-overnight-oats-virginia-adventures.html" target="_blank">Creamsicle Overnight Oats</a>). We love the place and have stopped there every time we've been in West Virginia, most recently for our birthdays last year. Bloomery makes these amazing liqueurs. Our favorites have been the Cremma Lemma, which is like a milky creamy version of limoncello, and Chocolate Raspberry, which tastes as the name suggests. I also picked up a bottle of their seasonal pumpkin flavor on our last stop there (yum!).<br />
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When I say they "make" this liqueur, I mean they "made"...kinda. After our most recent trip, Bloomery made the decision to close their tasting room. They now make canned versions of cocktails that use their liqueurs but you can no longer buy bottles of the stuff. So, this is it. This is all we have. We've been treating it like liquid gold.<br />
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There is a cocktail you can make with the Cremma Lemma that uses the liqueur, orange juice, soda water, and vanilla and it tastes like this amazing orange, lemon creamsicle concoction. So delicious and perfect for the months when the weather is warm. When Nate brought up the Sweetshine it made me think...putting this flavor into a cupcake could be quite delicious. My goal was to get the flavor of the Cremma Lemma cocktail without actually using some of the Sweetshine since we want to save that to enjoy for a special occasion. And these cupcakes do it quite well. The orange and lemon flavors aren't too overpowering and the creaminess of the icing pairs perfectly. Plus, they have a special orange surprise inside. I love making cupcakes with filling.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIlYAM7f1LTmxQ47k0RokoPhHELP9DNNWZatfs4LyZnBR58fRadgQOgGZwFiSIPd5OngJPS2VTW9_zuy8cEUjGWkjwzFFkwG_zh7tWvBXspaeU6iJNLVjeW9ZqaQVMUgmYbRfMUSnkJo/s2048/IMG_2109.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTIlYAM7f1LTmxQ47k0RokoPhHELP9DNNWZatfs4LyZnBR58fRadgQOgGZwFiSIPd5OngJPS2VTW9_zuy8cEUjGWkjwzFFkwG_zh7tWvBXspaeU6iJNLVjeW9ZqaQVMUgmYbRfMUSnkJo/w640-h480/IMG_2109.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<br /></div>These cupcakes were a hit at our Memorial Day cookout. They're a great treat for the spring or summer months.<br />
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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<b>(Makes 12)</b></div>
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Cupcakes</h4>
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<div style="text-align: left;">1 ¼ c. all-purpose flour<br />¾ c. sugar<br />2 eggs<br />½ c. vegetable oil<br />½ c. buttermilk</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 tsp. vanilla extract<br />½ tsp. lemon extract<br />½ tsp. orange extract</div><div style="text-align: left;">1 ½ tsp. baking powder<br />½ tsp. baking soda<br />¼ tsp. salt<br />Orange marmalade</div><div style="text-align: left;">
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Cream Cheese Icing</h4>
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<div><div>8 oz. cream cheese brought to room temperature</div><div>1 c. heavy whipping cream</div><div>1 c. confectioners sugar</div><div>1 tsp. vanilla extract</div></div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Preheat oven to 350°.<br />
<br />In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.<br /><br />In a separate larger bowl, beat together sugar and egg. Add buttermilk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, orange extract, and lemon extract and beat well. Slowly add dry ingredients and beat until combined. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners. Divide batter evenly among the cupcake liners.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Bake for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Once cupcakes are cool, use an apple corer to remove the center of each cupcake. Scoop a bit of the orange marmalade into the center of each.<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>While the cupcakes are baking, make the icing. In one bowl whip together the cream cheese and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream mixture and whip together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use. Pipe over cupcakes once they are completely cooled. Add some dried orange slices to the top of each cupcake for extra fun, if you'd like (I love the sweetened dried orange slices from Trader Joe's).<div style="text-align: center;">
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeK5wH_HLkRqI1eazGMKg5Wy5Pl2jpHrmHjWOAVJ_eDC3n9nXlswh_xezjPOX-CNV4zdwsGZumW93EKbSCFTqm5tSCvSRKLKKe8JfBe5i1seDcWxog0lmsXObXL4k9rE6VXr1IyuZRdVc/s2048/IMG_2108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeK5wH_HLkRqI1eazGMKg5Wy5Pl2jpHrmHjWOAVJ_eDC3n9nXlswh_xezjPOX-CNV4zdwsGZumW93EKbSCFTqm5tSCvSRKLKKe8JfBe5i1seDcWxog0lmsXObXL4k9rE6VXr1IyuZRdVc/w480-h640/IMG_2108.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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Enjoy!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-46031752782842383852019-03-24T16:47:00.001-04:002023-01-18T20:41:19.746-05:00Wine Cork Easter Bunny<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIoV-YfHNfV4eK_IkZ8wjEj27VGmQrkKQOEUHmxOHsckfefK5shs4zktMwBJuC_ZqcOq99xNNcc5jGXL00plC-hahl9hhwd6T5yzfrsuag4mMzk99biW2uyAbyNFN-sViiBYeREXnpVk/s1600/IMG_0589.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRIoV-YfHNfV4eK_IkZ8wjEj27VGmQrkKQOEUHmxOHsckfefK5shs4zktMwBJuC_ZqcOq99xNNcc5jGXL00plC-hahl9hhwd6T5yzfrsuag4mMzk99biW2uyAbyNFN-sViiBYeREXnpVk/s640/IMG_0589.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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Hello friends! Spring has sprung. The scent of fresh blooms is in the air. And I'm in spring cleaning mode.</div>
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Not that our place is messy. Actually, I keep it pretty clean all the time. I hate clutter, though, and I don't like to keep things we no longer use or won't use in the future. It just makes for crowded closets filled with junk. Yet, despite my feelings on the matter, our storage areas have gotten a little cluttered with old junk just because I haven't had the time to keep it under control. So, I've made it a goal over the next few weeks to fix that. And to make the project less daunting, I'm taking one area a weekend. This weekend went to under-the-bed organization. I finally organized my craft bin I keep under the bed. It was filled with bags and bags of beads, jewels, ribbons, material, etc. I've found myself recently buying things for craft projects I already have. I just didn't know what I had because it was all such a mess. Well, that's fixed now.</div>
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As I was cleaning I found some jewels and a bag of pipe cleaner. Yay, new project idea! If you are a regular crafter and also happen to be a wine drinker I recommend saving corks from all the bottles you go through. I have a pretty substantial stash - other people give me their corks as well. You can always make something fun with wine corks. Example: check out my <a href="https://www.niftynerdarella.com/2018/11/wine-cork-christmas-tree.html" target="_blank">Wine Cork Christmas Tree</a> project.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyI9bVq5DWAghlADRZqHa2GyYu7G3eE7fOY8zr4GDTCzHG6BDM7-3XyKOx7eNs65uHDX_TKmlfw2w9Ul2OfWzzgcb7yzGqr74YZB8GNiUDVuq_TfEMY8zjmOho2GtFnHXI-o1I-t22D4/s1600/IMG_0583.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHyI9bVq5DWAghlADRZqHa2GyYu7G3eE7fOY8zr4GDTCzHG6BDM7-3XyKOx7eNs65uHDX_TKmlfw2w9Ul2OfWzzgcb7yzGqr74YZB8GNiUDVuq_TfEMY8zjmOho2GtFnHXI-o1I-t22D4/s640/IMG_0583.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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Yes, corks are a great crafting material. Since we're in a new season, I decided to make something season appropriate using wine corks and the jewels and pipe cleaners I found. An Easter bunny for springtime!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD6_AesUhfw6UC4fCMxHfggpx4SHfe1U0aW6zYKIfUfoxaZGvkTSlc-aHx44y7aCOw9PD2UsdlrLgQVYIspVjyWvFkoBvmNc_ANFIgge860_r-3vZCewV6CLwPcRYDczWFZWnjNpduSU/s1600/IMG_0590.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioD6_AesUhfw6UC4fCMxHfggpx4SHfe1U0aW6zYKIfUfoxaZGvkTSlc-aHx44y7aCOw9PD2UsdlrLgQVYIspVjyWvFkoBvmNc_ANFIgge860_r-3vZCewV6CLwPcRYDczWFZWnjNpduSU/s640/IMG_0590.HEIC" width="480" /></a></div>
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This whole project took me probably 20 minutes in total to put together. The use of hot glue makes it a super quick project. And the results were adorable. It's so easy you can definitely do this yourself, even if you're not very crafty.</div>
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So, without further ado, here's the how-to on making your very own wine cork bunny!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxeuFCvE4j0ORy2LAnCjY3bxCAZDGCpZQdUz4hAN9dvoZRc4rbu92n9kspmV7-Wm0dsLwdE8BK5E0ejDdxdAGs6nYyFUNqyt-oZd-nrV23x4aYoXfxTwGqvXKyX7Ls3-tEl9Q1p9k2Oo/s1600/WineCorkBunnyPinterest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifxeuFCvE4j0ORy2LAnCjY3bxCAZDGCpZQdUz4hAN9dvoZRc4rbu92n9kspmV7-Wm0dsLwdE8BK5E0ejDdxdAGs6nYyFUNqyt-oZd-nrV23x4aYoXfxTwGqvXKyX7Ls3-tEl9Q1p9k2Oo/s640/WineCorkBunnyPinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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<b>~ What You Need ~</b></h4>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
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34 wine corks<br />
1 champagne cork</div>
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A strand of ribbon (your choice of color)<br />
1 small pink jewel<br />
1 white pipe cleaner<br />
Hot glue gun</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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Using the hot glue gun, glue 3 of the wine corks together in a line. Then, stack 4 more corks on the top, gluing as you go. Repeat this process with another row of 4 and so on. Below is a chart showing you how many corks are needed for each row leading up to the top of the bunny head.<br />
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Row 1: 3 corks<br />
Row 2: 4 corks<br />
Row 3: 4 corks<br />
Row 4: 4 corks<br />
Row 5: 3 corks<br />
Row 6: 2 corks<br />
Row 7: 3 corks<br />
Row 8: 3 corks<br />
Row 9: 2 corks<br />
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Once you've completed the above you should have a full bunny body and head sans the tail and ears. We're adding those next.<br />
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To add the tail, turn the bunny so it's laying on one of its sides. Whichever side you want the tail to be on should be facing up. Glue the champagne cork in between the second and third row. Allow the glue to completely dry before standing the bunny back up. Otherwise, the tail will fall off.<br />
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To add the ears, glue three of the remaining corks together in a row. Repeat the process with the other three remaining corks. You can glue them both in a straight line or make one or both of them a floppy ear like mine. Once the glue on the ears is completely dry, glue them to the top of the bunny head. You will need to hold the ears in place until the glue is dry to avoid them falling off but since you're using hot glue it shouldn't take too long.<br />
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Now we're going to make the bunny nose. Take the pipe cleaner and cut it in half. Wrap the centers together so they're connected and form an X shape. Glue the middle to the bunny's face. Next, place a bead of hot glue in the center of the "whiskers" and add the pink jewel on top.<br />
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Time to add the bow! Take your piece of ribbon and wrap it around the bunny's neck. Tie it in a pretty bow in the front.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YwmYodN5NTBDC2Jb3GLDHO2kAS9-ZBwOpdNxSCe25Eu_mRYAUaRJYjIXNEelnKh-9zOqUOlQlr2CxFs0181yI6_41jyj-Y8vR5n-sdgMla7OOEM4ebZwbjCza3G0SWLgX8_5Rt5gNEo/s1600/IMG_0584.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5YwmYodN5NTBDC2Jb3GLDHO2kAS9-ZBwOpdNxSCe25Eu_mRYAUaRJYjIXNEelnKh-9zOqUOlQlr2CxFs0181yI6_41jyj-Y8vR5n-sdgMla7OOEM4ebZwbjCza3G0SWLgX8_5Rt5gNEo/s640/IMG_0584.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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And that's it! You're done! Display your new adorable cork bunny friend where all can see. Happy spring and happy Easter!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-50193239284414749422019-03-16T19:30:00.002-04:002023-01-19T22:15:08.831-05:00Pallet Headboard<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYAlpWnvI4zBbDUjLPb373iGU7nx2Aqtx-euQOXZrYO7shAwwkRBhQPTFeQGsD3Ajz_6N7LHlSuaAD0Ppq7yGGlH6-nyawiCaP994qHNz_TGTBQIdMzfphfAhCHCTd3rPAD306OY6bqU/s1600/IMG_0541.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPYAlpWnvI4zBbDUjLPb373iGU7nx2Aqtx-euQOXZrYO7shAwwkRBhQPTFeQGsD3Ajz_6N7LHlSuaAD0Ppq7yGGlH6-nyawiCaP994qHNz_TGTBQIdMzfphfAhCHCTd3rPAD306OY6bqU/s640/IMG_0541.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
Hello readers!<br />
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I've been quiet for a while. That's because I've been super busy on a new project and I'm really excited to share it with you now that it's done. I'm more jazzed about this project than pretty much any other project I've previously posted on here (except for maybe my nerdy patchwork blanket). It has been a project floating around in my head for a long time and I was so happy to finally make it a reality.<br />
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We got a new bed almost two years ago. The old bedframe didn't fit anymore so, picked up a new one but it didn't have a headboard or anything. I love the rustic vintage-type look so I started thinking about the possibility of making my own headboard and I decided I wanted to do it with wood pallets.<br />
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Fast-forward to now and I've just made that thought a reality. I'm not usually someone to sit on projects. In fact, I HATE having unfinished projects. The reason for the delay on this one was purely logistics. After I secured some nice pallets they sat on our back porch for a while. Because there was no good way for me to sand and stain them. We're in an apartment complex. Where can I go to do that?<br />
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A few weeks ago I decided this just needed to get done. Every time I walked into our living room and saw those pallets sitting on the back porch it was a reminder to me of an unfinished project. So, I transported the pallets over to my parents' house so I'd have a place to work, and I got it done.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzHYpp0_tzUV-k1coVSehM0y2CVxl-rKm2oZtEE6CiZ_-fsGMjyaWNN0nJ9AmmzCxqTKidkPnvAFwkNQcj6LZWuWP6FWY2BTHL6hnqLfy00a2YzS7xYUW7K0i1QisvNx0cvgCOx7VPH4/s1600/IMG_0540.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtzHYpp0_tzUV-k1coVSehM0y2CVxl-rKm2oZtEE6CiZ_-fsGMjyaWNN0nJ9AmmzCxqTKidkPnvAFwkNQcj6LZWuWP6FWY2BTHL6hnqLfy00a2YzS7xYUW7K0i1QisvNx0cvgCOx7VPH4/s640/IMG_0540.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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The result is so beautiful! And it's a weight off my shoulders to finally have this big undertaking done after all this time. Now I can move onto other DIY projects. My list never ends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWx56VoYf8y-OBnIqo70uHg-U9A5KH3gkLPAumiqhMHUK5PU77fs3ZKNxAkDIQSA_RuBpvI3gI0ZjNnoreIiLOqYbEhIg4t-ahsU5riLIT1UAfl4qv9mu9l60GrBc5PlyE-1svA_F93c/s1600/IMG_0546.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglWx56VoYf8y-OBnIqo70uHg-U9A5KH3gkLPAumiqhMHUK5PU77fs3ZKNxAkDIQSA_RuBpvI3gI0ZjNnoreIiLOqYbEhIg4t-ahsU5riLIT1UAfl4qv9mu9l60GrBc5PlyE-1svA_F93c/s640/IMG_0546.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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So, without further ado, here's a step-by-step on how to make this pallet headboard yourself.<br />
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<b> ~ What You Need ~</b></h4>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
2 wood pallets (app<span style="background-color: white;">rox 36" x 45" each)</span><br />
Power sander<br />
Sandpaper in varying grits<br />
Wood filler</div>
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Wood stain (your choice of color - I used American Chestnut)<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">2 yards of billowy material (your choice of color)</span><br />
6 feet of velcro<br />
2 French cleat hangers (100 lb. hold)<br />
4 L brackets<br />
1 strand (10 ft.) string lights (optional)<br />
Small clothespins (optional)</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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<b>Step 1:</b> Sand the pallets until the wood is smooth. Start with the most gritty sandpaper and gradually move to the finest. This will ensure a nice smooth, clean-looking surface.<br />
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Sanding makes a HUGE difference. It almost won't look like the same wood afterward.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<b>Before</b></div>
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<b>After</b></div>
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<b>Step 2: </b>If your pallets are like mine, they'll have small holes where each nail goes into the wood. Smooth out the surface by plugging these holes with wood filler. You really only need to do this on the front side that will be seen. Allow to dry completely.<br />
<b><br /></b> <b>Step 3:</b> Stain the pallets with your choice of wood stain color. I used American Chestnut. I recommend getting a stain that includes the finishing coat. It's a huge time-saver. Allow to dry completely. Go over with additional coats if you want the stain to be more intense. I only used one coat for mine.<br />
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You don't need to stain everything - just what will be visible.<br />
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If you used a stain that didn't include the finishing coat, you will also need to pick up some of that and finish off the piece with that coat.<br />
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<b>Step 3: </b><span style="background-color: white;">Cut the velcro (both hook and loop sides) into four </span><span style="background-color: white;">13-inch piec</span><span style="background-color: white;">es. Adhere four of the pieces to the inside of the front portion of the top wood slate on the pallets (see image below).</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QkQ2XrwuMbvgSGMwj3ZFPdFmK1iMjxH11UGudvOpYj52SsAsx3TMz5GWft5ruLhqu275Zuiu5YWFjGX00YZQ46aWUGFT2zpMpCt3NADAi8Y6qqpO3UiUy1NJ5KiOJAMD0lGEsJJvDcQ/s1600/IMG_0532.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3QkQ2XrwuMbvgSGMwj3ZFPdFmK1iMjxH11UGudvOpYj52SsAsx3TMz5GWft5ruLhqu275Zuiu5YWFjGX00YZQ46aWUGFT2zpMpCt3NADAi8Y6qqpO3UiUy1NJ5KiOJAMD0lGEsJJvDcQ/s640/IMG_0532.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">I used velcro that included one side of self-adhesive velcro and the other side was sew-on. If you use self-adhesive it will attach to the wood just fine. You need to sew the velcro to the fabric regardless, though. Speaking from experience, adhesive velcro doesn't stay attached to fabric for long.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span> <span style="background-color: white;">Cut the fabric into four pieces measuring abou</span><span style="background-color: white;">t 20" x 45". </span><span style="background-color: white;">Sew the four remaining pieces of velcro to the four pieces of fabric. Give them a bit of a pleat so the fabric will have more movement. Your sewing job doesn't need to be pretty - you won't be able to see it. Just make sure it's secure.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;">Join the pieces of velcro to secure your fabric to the pallets.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP04l0G3SNv30yrxr-Jc51416kEHcyX_uKxSkanbxCQVQQrbYGLRp7M7HWC_7wLT3rcveAvRR6r1kAMc6DzAC3gOgqCoUXC7L7o23L7kz6qtKFDHVhPEqdssIP1mxPiE6ogon2-H2bK0c/s1600/IMG_0530.HEIC" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP04l0G3SNv30yrxr-Jc51416kEHcyX_uKxSkanbxCQVQQrbYGLRp7M7HWC_7wLT3rcveAvRR6r1kAMc6DzAC3gOgqCoUXC7L7o23L7kz6qtKFDHVhPEqdssIP1mxPiE6ogon2-H2bK0c/s640/IMG_0530.HEIC" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white;">Note: You can also attach the fabric directly to the wood but I chose to go with velcro so the fabric could be swapped out if I wanted down the road.</span><br />
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<b>Step 4:</b> Attach the cleat hangers to the wall and pallets to hang. Using these hangers ensures you have the support you need to attach the pallets to the wall without them falling down. Make sure hangers are level so pallets are level when hung next to each other.<br />
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Palettes weigh on average between 35-50 pounds. I used the hangers good for up to 100 pounds just to be safe.<br />
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To be even safer, attached two of the L brackets to the bottom of each of the pallets. Secure them to the wood and the wall.<br />
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MAKE SURE ALL THESE THINGS ARE GOING INTO STUDS!<br />
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The last thing you want is a pallet falling in the middle of the night.<br />
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<b>Step 5:</b> Add the finishing touches, if desired. I think these touches give a lot of personality.<br />
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Screw the four hooks into each side of the pallets.<br />
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Drape and secure the lights across the top of the pallets. Attach some of the clothespins to the light strand to display photos.<br />
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And you're done! Enjoy!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-55938038289585880512019-01-19T07:10:00.001-05:002023-01-18T21:07:50.619-05:00White Pizza with Spinach, Tomatoes, and Roasted Garlic<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello friends. Hope you're all well on this fine morning.<br />
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You know what's great? Pizza. Pizza is great. Delicious carby cheesy goodness. It's definitely one of the best comfort foods. I love making homemade pizza with crust from scratch. The finished product tastes like it's from a mom and pop pizzeria. Much better than store-bought or even ordering from one of the big chains. Plus, it's just fun to make. The sky's the limit with the toppings you can add.<br />
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Nate and I love to cook together. We decided to binge My Hero Academia season 3 this past Saturday and we wanted something fun to make together for dinner. As I was thinking about what we could make, pizza came to mind. It had been a while since we made homemade pizza.<br />
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Usually, I make a more traditional pizza made with a red sauce (my own recipe), mozzarella, spinach, and mushrooms. But on this particular occasion, I felt like coming up with something new. We LOVE garlic and happened to have some fresh garlic on-hand, so I started there. Roasted garlic on pizza? Yum! That seemed to lend itself well to a white pizza. And I had to add some spinach (my favorite) and some tomatoes for extra flavor. The finished result was amazeballs. I'll make this one again for sure.<br />
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And, of course, it was good enough that I had to bring the recipe to you people. Hope you enjoy!<br />
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<h4>
<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
<div>
<h4>
<b>Serves 4</b></h4>
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<h4 style="text-align: left;">
<b>Crust</b></h4>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
2 c. white wheat flour<br />
1 packet active dry yeast<br />
¾ tsp. salt<br />
1 c. warm water<br />
1 Tbsp. olive oil<br />
1 tsp. honey<br />
<h4 style="text-align: left;">
Toppings</h4>
1 c. mozzarella cheese<br />
¼ c. ricotta cheese<br />
1 bulb fresh garlic<br />
Handful fresh spinach<br />
5 cherry tomatoes, halved<br />
Olive oil</div>
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<h4>
<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
<div style="text-align: left;">
First, make the crust. You need to do this far enough in advance of making the pizza to give it time to rise. I highly recommend making your crust in the morning if you plan to enjoy the pizza for dinner that evening.</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, yeast, and salt. Mix well. Add water, olive oil, and honey and mix/knead until combined. This will form a thick dough.</div>
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Place the dough on a plate, cover with a moist cloth and set aside to rise for several hours.<br />
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A short time before assembling the pizza, roast the garlic. Do this by slicing off the top of the garlic bulb, brushing with olive oil, encasing in foil, and baking for 45 minutes at 400°. Garlic should be soft and fragrant.<br />
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Once the crust dough has adequately risen, grease a pizza baking sheet and spread the dough out on the sheet. Pizza should be about 12 inches.</div>
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Brush the top of the crust with a generous amount of olive oil. Sprinkle the mozzarella cheese atop. Follow with several dollops of the ricotta spread around the top of the pizza.<br />
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Remove roasted garlic cloves from skin and distribute across pizza along with the tomatoes and spinach.<br />
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Bake at 425° for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly and crust is golden.<br />
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It just looks so pretty! And it tastes as good as it looks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6u55qAVd-CWnqqjCXTiwq8xqnIEjQWgBMDrqxw_jrut2JdSvSuivJKZjBcrW83db4F4o89X4KDASSp7E0NOlDF9uRnGy12d6g_VnJmDxICEFqyx99Q3y75bObfuZ7AmBmNHMAJZG2xI/s1600/SFgc4QqAR9WwCR2D6PGMRw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEij6u55qAVd-CWnqqjCXTiwq8xqnIEjQWgBMDrqxw_jrut2JdSvSuivJKZjBcrW83db4F4o89X4KDASSp7E0NOlDF9uRnGy12d6g_VnJmDxICEFqyx99Q3y75bObfuZ7AmBmNHMAJZG2xI/s640/SFgc4QqAR9WwCR2D6PGMRw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Enjoy!<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-42115367743325644312019-01-12T08:15:00.002-05:002023-01-19T22:14:58.279-05:00Dice Tray for Tabletop Gaming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="text-align: left;">Hello fellow nerds!</span><br />
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And to those of you who aren't nerds, welcome to you too! But this is primarily a post for nerds. Specifically, nerds who play Dungeons & Dragons like me.<br />
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A while back, my boyfriend Nate and I got into a web series on Geek & Sundry called <a href="https://geekandsundry.com/shows/critical-role/" target="_blank">Critical Role</a>. It's an awesome show where a bunch of nerdy-ass voice actors get together to play Dungeons & Dragons. This show is what got me interested in the game and, more specifically, in playing it. Nate and I have played through a few different games with friends over the years. But, when we moved into a new place last year, we decided to get a little more serious.<br />
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By a little more serious, I mean he BUILT a gaming table...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAxjPaVJzw9vjkdbtnxLuD-MaVYUUPrZJqCK6zWIJRV9lWxd5WA8z4eJoj63pMFS7hFZYOjFzG1jPaAQBJm8IykjWm8JGieEO7N_4POXnAusHuCSAhuuZOmQcOvcVstoiheJsxhSyS38/s1600/IMG_1249.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzAxjPaVJzw9vjkdbtnxLuD-MaVYUUPrZJqCK6zWIJRV9lWxd5WA8z4eJoj63pMFS7hFZYOjFzG1jPaAQBJm8IykjWm8JGieEO7N_4POXnAusHuCSAhuuZOmQcOvcVstoiheJsxhSyS38/s640/IMG_1249.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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And he did a damn good job. This thing has color-changing LED lights around the sides and is freaking fantastic for D&D games.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4d4U5KMGYWaYafbYUZXe0s-enSxi8v75njkw9Cjn-FZ0kOoxuGO8ecQG5zHcmzuuBn953JbDl5wQu2KStFqW8K2wnFJ1Hk5MIiYDBsI6Fnn1440RHHzzGE-UQ-IJjmAbR64FFqsASTwM/s1600/IMG_1760.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4d4U5KMGYWaYafbYUZXe0s-enSxi8v75njkw9Cjn-FZ0kOoxuGO8ecQG5zHcmzuuBn953JbDl5wQu2KStFqW8K2wnFJ1Hk5MIiYDBsI6Fnn1440RHHzzGE-UQ-IJjmAbR64FFqsASTwM/s640/IMG_1760.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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Oh, did I mention it's also a dining room table? The top is removable to expose the gaming set up underneath. But by day this baby is a really beautiful dining table made out of high-quality wood. Here you can see my lovely set-up for Christmas dinner.</div>
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But I digress. Because this post is about dice trays. After Nate built this table we started hosting D&D sessions at our place. As a result, we've been playing more often. And a good player certainly needs a trusty dice tray to keep dice from rolling off the table and whatnot. You want those crits!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7BEl2SZGC8ZMU5k_KI7A2C9sXqGsgHA-01GikYsnlJ_a7zbnKiO22pZp9KnOWikbFSFAvMuDV5bQgXpqTQX4DVhDH52BC6ITcQH0j9zqSB22b_RdrZ8crhXTWFoHN2DVtwzBjibDEG8/s1600/DiceTrayPinterest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1120" data-original-width="750" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH7BEl2SZGC8ZMU5k_KI7A2C9sXqGsgHA-01GikYsnlJ_a7zbnKiO22pZp9KnOWikbFSFAvMuDV5bQgXpqTQX4DVhDH52BC6ITcQH0j9zqSB22b_RdrZ8crhXTWFoHN2DVtwzBjibDEG8/s640/DiceTrayPinterest.jpg" width="428" /></a></div>
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I love the amazing dice trays from <a href="https://wyrmwoodgaming.com/" target="_blank">Wyrmwood Gaming</a>. The craftsmanship is amazing and their pieces are of such high quality. One of Nate's friends got him a Wyrmwood dice tray as a birthday present a few years ago.<br />
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This got me thinking that I wanted a dice tray of my own and, as much as I would LOVE to have a Wyrmwood, that's just not in the budget for me right now. So I set out to make my own. My character is an elven druid and I wanted to make something that fit her character. I found a tree-looking frame at Michael's and used that as the base, adding green felt and stenciling on a gold leaf and vine pattern. I love how it turned out and it works great! I've been using this tray now for about a year with no complaints. I just love how unique and personal it is to my character.<br />
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Plus it was super simple to make.<br />
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One of my friends who is also in our D&D party had a birthday so I decided I'd also make her a dice tray as a present. Her character is a human paladin and, as with my dice tray, I wanted this one to be unique to her character. This time, I chose a more simplistic tray with a cleaner look using black felt and a silver stenciled-on designed I thought looked like it could be a holy symbol.<br />
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I love the idea of theming these trays after the characters who use them. It allows for some creativity. You can do something similar to the designs I have here but I encourage you to get creative too and experiment with new designs that fit your characters.<br />
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<b> ~ What You Need ~</b></h4>
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Wood tray or deep picture frame<br />
Felt (color of your choice)</div>
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Paint pen (color your choice)<br />
Stencil (pattern your choice)<br />
Scissors<br />
Ruler<br />
Hot glue gun</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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<b>Step 1:</b> Measure the inside of your tray or frame. Cut the felt to fit those same dimensions.<br />
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<b>Step 2:</b> Lay the stencil out on the felt you just cut and use the paint pen to trace the pattern.<br />
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<b>Step 3:</b> Using the hot glue gun, adhere the felt to the bottom of the tray or back of the frame. Allow to dry completely.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeNS691fL2Lj58OrDLwaQdCWsTWFilebysxphXRChT0uiXc8Q1AEb7gHQCTSaE_NcKGOZd-kekEenbJ-tk8XZK9mzSeVNGoajqpjXWjazSobIaOgSfj4LHkhxxM_YxCdnO9VaYVKzRlU/s1600/zjQ%25259UEyRliw6XcyUkyvtg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpeNS691fL2Lj58OrDLwaQdCWsTWFilebysxphXRChT0uiXc8Q1AEb7gHQCTSaE_NcKGOZd-kekEenbJ-tk8XZK9mzSeVNGoajqpjXWjazSobIaOgSfj4LHkhxxM_YxCdnO9VaYVKzRlU/s640/zjQ%25259UEyRliw6XcyUkyvtg.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And there you have it, folks, a snazzy new dice tray. Hopefully, it brings you good luck and you'll role many crits in all the boss fights.<br />
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Good luck on your adventures!</div>
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-46829687776558279462018-12-27T12:01:00.001-05:002023-01-18T21:08:39.482-05:00Cheesy Bacon Egg Casserole<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Hello friends.</div>
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Of course, Christmas has come and gone but I'm still in that mood and I've been wanting to share some of the recipes I made for Christmas with you all.</div>
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This particular post is all about traditional Christmas morning breakfasts. Do you have any special dishes you always make or that you grew up with? From a pretty young age, I always remember my mother making a delicious egg casserole. I looked forward to that egg casserole every year, as much a part of Christmas morning as opening presents. Years later, I now make it for our household every Christmas morning. The smell of bacon and eggs cooking on Christmas morning is divine.</div>
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This is a really easy dish to whip together. It has to sit overnight so you can make it Christmas Eve and all you have to do Christmas morning is wake up and pop it in the oven. It can bake while you open presents. And it goes great with those Christmas morning mimosas (we always do pomegranate).</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpewRYMJjRGg6s8o1MxxYC2QmA8CjpYBMumOdzCQ59C0BAySAO0mOGSoiDw69K2OBDeCd35n_FNHYpBbvJfRMWQnZh2EC_xGAXRaKuXIjsNbzO7psPpgUUAr9RSWMg6mFmlDDgzJJeBs/s1600/6Dx4X9BqTqWug%252B0X6SF23A.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqpewRYMJjRGg6s8o1MxxYC2QmA8CjpYBMumOdzCQ59C0BAySAO0mOGSoiDw69K2OBDeCd35n_FNHYpBbvJfRMWQnZh2EC_xGAXRaKuXIjsNbzO7psPpgUUAr9RSWMg6mFmlDDgzJJeBs/s640/6Dx4X9BqTqWug%252B0X6SF23A.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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For me, this is a traditional Christmas morning breakfast just because I grew up with it being so. I don't make it any other time of the year because it's special. That being said, it's an egg casserole so you can really make it any time of year. Since it's an egg dish it would actually work great for an Easter brunch as well. Or really, any brunch.</div>
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So, without further ado, here you go. The recipe for my favorite Christmas morning breakfast.</div>
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7 slices bread, cubed<br />
8 oz. grated cheddar cheese<br />
6 eggs<br />
3 c. milk<br />
1 tsp. dry mustard<br />
½ tsp. salt<br />
¼ tsp. black pepper<br />
Cooked bacon</div>
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Line the bottom of a greased 9 x 9 casserole dish with the bread.<br />
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In a large bowl mix eggs, milk, dry mustard, salt, and pepper. Beat well. Fold in cheese. Pour egg mixture over bread. Crumble bacon over dish.<br />
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Tip: If you don't like bacon you can use something else. I prefer spinach so I usually make half with bacon and half with fresh spinach. Sausage would work well too.<br />
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Cover and refrigerate overnight.<br />
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Bake uncovered at 325° for up to 45 minutes until center is done. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.<br />
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Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8959293211387104195.post-16562341401097927002018-12-25T20:56:00.002-05:002023-01-20T06:38:44.530-05:00White Winter Gingerbread Cake with Spiced Cream Cheese Icing<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you've had an amazing day filled with those you care about most. Christmas is my absolute favorite holiday. Not only does it hold so much meaning, being the day we celebrate the birth of Christ, but it's also a great time to get together with family and remember what really matters in life. I wanted to share a post with you all tonight with a very special recipe that helps remind me what matters: family.</div>
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Christmas for me is full of traditions. As I've gotten older I've done everything in my power to keep those traditions going with my family. A big part of those traditions involves food and old family recipes. We've hosted Christmas for our family at our place the past few years and it has been beyond fun. Sure, cooking and entertaining can be a lot but we absolutely love it. We both love to cook and it has been so fun to bring family recipe traditions from both our family Christmases together. This year was no different. In fact, we just finished up an amazing meal.</div>
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For me, Christmas dishes are made from scratch. Other days of the year I'm (more) OK with storebought and boxed mixes but you'll find that nowhere near my Christmas (or Thanksgiving, for that matter) table. I'm so fortunate to have been handed down a few spectacular recipes that were my great grandmother's. There is one in particular that has become a Christmas staple for me: her gingerbread.</div>
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Side note: I obtained this recipe along with many others that were staples for my grandmother and great-grandmother about 10 years ago. My grandmother was in the early stages of Alzheimer's. I remembered so many of her amazing dishes I grew up with and I started to worry those recipes would be lost to time as her sickness progressed. So I spent one summer gathering these precious gems - family traditions from both my mother's and my father's sides of the family - and creating a recipe book. It was quite a process but, looking back years later, I'm so glad I took the time to do it. Because it means all those recipes live on and I can pass them on to my children. I highly recommend everyone do this. Take the time to talk to family members. Get those recipes. Even if you don't cook or bake, you're preserving that history to pass down.</div>
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Anyway, I digress. I've been making my great grandmother's gingerbread around Christmas for years. A few years back I decided to try adapting it into a cake recipe, which basically just entailed baking the gingerbread in different pans and developing an icing recipe to go along with it. The results were not only delicious but very photogenic. I love how gorgeous this cake is!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj3zSsvyiKuqE0zB70QytFFIFGYDfAotCdX1VqFzYiBvIFCovrMyv50rvCZ5NWTuKf0DgE_JZzyzzw96Z9iXNGnmMeINNR6Wvdt0CAvQ-TYuGd0behCkZ8UynDxo64G70qsE4enU7y38/s1600/O%2525KDnxVURjeNdKOV3jvXWw.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGj3zSsvyiKuqE0zB70QytFFIFGYDfAotCdX1VqFzYiBvIFCovrMyv50rvCZ5NWTuKf0DgE_JZzyzzw96Z9iXNGnmMeINNR6Wvdt0CAvQ-TYuGd0behCkZ8UynDxo64G70qsE4enU7y38/s640/O%2525KDnxVURjeNdKOV3jvXWw.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And the best part is, while I've modernized this beauty, it still has its roots in tradition. The gingerbread recipe is exactly the same today as what my great-grandmother used to make. Well...except for her use of lard. I did replace that with butter. Because no one cooks with lard anymore.</div>
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This cake now graces my Christmas table every year and is the perfect ending to a delicious and decadent meal.</div>
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<b>~ Ingredients ~</b></h4>
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<b>Gingerbread Cake</b></h4>
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⅔ c. unsalted butter, melted</div>
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1 c. molasses</div>
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3 c. flour</div>
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1 c. brown sugar</div>
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1 Tbsp. ground ginger</div>
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1 tsp. salt<br />
3 eggs<br />
1 Tbsp. baking soda<br />
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Spiced Cream Cheese Icing</h4>
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8 oz. cream cheese brought to room temperature</div>
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1 c. heavy whipping cream</div>
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1 c. confectioners sugar</div>
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1 tsp. vanilla extract</div>
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2 tsp. ground cinnamon</div>
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¼ tsp. ground nutmeg</div>
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<b>~ Directions ~</b></h4>
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<b>Gingerbread Cake</b></h4>
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Preheat over to 350° and grease three 8-inch round baking pans.<br />
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In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, ginger, and salt. Slowly beat in butter, molasses, and eggs until well combined.<br />
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Bring 1/2 c. water to a boil. Add baking soda to boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Add the water/baking soda mixture to the gingerbread cake mix and mix well until combined. The batter will be thin but no more flour should be added.<br />
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Spread the batter evenly across the three round cake pans. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean.<br />
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Spiced Cream Cheese Icing</h4>
While the cakes are baking, make the icing. In one bowl whip together the cream cheese, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In a separate bowl whip the heavy whipping cream and sugar until soft peaks form (about 3 minutes). Add the cream cheese mixture to the whipped cream mixture and whip together until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.<br />
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Assembling the Cake</h4>
Remove the cakes from the oven and allow them to completely cool before attempting to ice. Don't even try it. Don't cut corners. The icing will melt and the cake will fall apart if you ice it before cool. You will be sad. I usually make the cakes and icing on Christmas Eve and assemble everything Christmas day before guests arrive. That way the cakes have plenty of time to cool in the refrigerator.<br />
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Carefully slice off the very top of each cake, making the tops completely flat and even. This will help with stacking so the cake doesn't fall over once assembled. I like to reserve what I've cut off and crumble it over the top of the cake at the end.<br />
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Place the first cake on the dish you wish to serve on (you will not want to deal with transferring this cake to another dish). Scoop a generous serving of icing on top of the first layer and spread across the layer until smooth. Place the second layer on top and repeat the process between the second and third layer.<br />
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Ice the top and sides of the cake. I like to ice this cake so it has a naked look but you can be more generous with the icing and completely cover it if you so desire. Since I traditionally serve this cake for Christmas dinner I like to decorate it with a little holly. And, of course, that crumbled gingerbread from the cuttings I saved.<br />
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Take many photos and post on Instagram to make all your friends super jealous of your mad baking abilities.<br />
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Bella is eyeing it. Ha!</div>
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<b>BONUS RECIPE!</b></h4>
If you read this far you get a special bonus recipe. Traditional gingerbread! To make traditional gingerbread, follow the ingredients and instructions above for making the gingerbread cake. Instead of pouring the batter into three cake pans use two bread pans. Bake at 350° for 35 - 40 minutes. Voila!</div>
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