Recipe: Liberty Lemonade

Hey everyone--
Here is a refreshing, patriotic drink recipe just in time for your holiday weekend. It's super simple to make and perfect to share with your friends and family as you celebrate! Give it a try this weekend!
Have a very happy 4th of July everyone! 
Christina xx
Ingredients: Lemonade, Sugar, Frozen Strawberries, Frozen Blueberries 
Steps: 1. Start with lemonade. I used Minute Maid lemonade that I bought already made, but feel free to make your own lemonade to start with.
2. Sweeten the lemonade with sugar. For a punch bowl size of filled lemonade, I used 1 cup of sugar. You can put however much sugar in it as needed to get it as sweet as you want.  (Skip this step if you don't want to sweeten it)
3.  Next add strawberries.
4. Then add blueberries.
5. Pour your lemonade into a glass and add a straw & enjoy! 
(P.S- Be sure to drink within 24 hours because the fruit can ferment .. or just wait to add the fruit until you're ready to drink it! P.S.S- This warning is here because I made this mistake!)

Recipe: Ooey Gooey Cookie Sandwiches

Hey everyone--

This yummy recipe is an adapted mix of two that I found on Pinterest:

1. the strawberry buttercream frosting from Cooking Classy

2. the chocolate chip cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction 

I wanted to make cookie sandwiches but I wanted to fill them with a strawberry flavored buttercream because I was making them for my sweet boyfriend Fred! Strawberries are his favorite so I wanted to add some strawberry flavor to the sandwiches! I think these are a really yummy sweet treat for the summertime.

Note: These are very gooey and will melt in your hands! So keep some napkins close by!

Have a sweet day!

Christina xx

Ingredients:
Frosting: 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp strawberry puree, 1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup salted butter, 2 1/2- 2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Cookies: 2 cups flour, 2 tsp cornstarch, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp salt, 3/4 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 1 cup mini chocolate chips

Steps:
Frosting: 1. Put the strawberry puree in a small pan and heat mixture over medium-low heat.
2. Stir occasionally and continue to let simmer until it's been reduced by about 2/3 to 3 tsp. This will take about 10 - 15 minutes.
3. Then, pour the puree in a bowl and let freeze until cool.
4. In a bowl, whip unsalted and salted butter together.
5. Mix in 1 cup of powdered sugar.
6. Blend in the reduced strawberry puree.
7. Put in the vanilla extract.
8. Add 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and continue to mix until frosting is fluffy.
9. Add an additional 1/4 cup of powdered sugar until you get the perfect fluffiness.

Cookies: 1. In a large bowl, mix the butter together until creamy.
2. Add in the brown sugar.
3. Add in the granulated sugar and mix all together until fluffy.
4. Mix in the egg.
5. Mix in the vanilla.
6. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda and salt.
7. Add in chocolate chips and mix for about 5 seconds.
8. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let chill for at least 1 hour, 2 hours preferred.
9. Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.
10. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
11. Roll the dough into balls.
12. Bake the dough balls for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
13. Let the cookies cool for at least 30 minutes.

Then: 1. Sandwich the frosting between two cooled cookies to create the sandwich!
& Enjoy!

Recipe: Gummy-Bear Popsicles

Hey everyone--
I first saw a gummy-bear popsicle recipe on Laurenconrad.com. They looked so sweet and so cute, I knew I had to try some this summer season! On the Lauren Conrad Blog they suggested using coconut water or Gatorade as the liquid, but I used pink lemonade! I love pink lemonade and I adore gummy-bears so I thought they turned out awesome! If you're looking for a fun, easy, summer popsicle recipe, keep reading!

Ingredients: Pink Lemonade, Gummy-Bears, Ice Pop/ Popsicle Mold, Freezer

Steps:
1. Take the sticks/bottoms out of each slot and make sure your ice pop/popsicle mold is clean and ready to go!
2. Pour pink lemonade evenly throughout the mold. Don't fill it to the brim, because dropping the gummy-bears in it will make the liquid rise and you still have to place the stick/bottom back into it too.
3. Drop as many gummy-bears as you'd like in each slot.
4. Place the stick/bottom back into each slot.
5. Put the ice pop mold into the freezer.
6. Leave the mold in the freezer for at least 2 hours to freeze into solid popsicles.
7. After about 2 hours you can take the mold out of the freezer and the popsicles out of the mold. (You might have to jimmy and shake the stick/bottom a bit to get it to come out, but it should be fairly smooth and easy!)
Your yummy gummy popsicles are now ready to be enjoyed and shared!
Have a sweet day! Christina xx

February's Treat: Sprinkle Surprise Cupcakes

Hey everyone--

Surprise inside cupcakes are my favorite treat to make right now. I made these for Valentine's Day, but you can make them for any occasion! I love these cupcakes because they're fun and sprinkle-filled, need I say more? Follow these instructions to make some of your own!

Christina xx

Ingredients: 

Cake- cake mix, 3 eggs, 1 1/3 cup of water, 1/3 cup of vegetable oil, sprinkles, cupcake liners, cute toppers

Frosting- 1 stick of butter, 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 two pound bag of confectioner's sugar, 2 teaspoons of vanilla, 1 teaspoon of salt, whipping cream 

Instructions: 

1. First blend dry mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil in a large bowl.

2. Place cupcake liners in  the cupcake/muffin tin cups.

3. Pour mix into cupcake/muffin cups.

4. Preheat oven at 350 degrees F.

5. Bake for approximately 20 minutes at 325 degrees F.

6. Take cupcakes out and let them cool completely.

7. When cupcakes are cool, scoop out the center of the cake and create a deep hole.

8. Next, pour sprinkles into the hole.

9. You're now ready to mix your frosting. Begin by blending vanilla, vegetable oil and butter together.

10. Then, add in salt and powdered sugar.

11. Slowly start adding whipping cream to the mix (about 1 tablespoon at a time). Keep doing this until you reach the consistency you desire. 

12. When you're frosting is fluffy and blended well, frost cupcakes using a piping bag. 

13. Top cupcakes with a themed topper and you're all set! Now enjoy with loved ones and share the surprise!

November's Treat: Mini Pumpkin Pies

In honor of Thanksgiving week, I decided to make these adorable mini pumpkin pies. I knew I had to try these the minute that I saw them on the Little Bit Funky blog. Follow these steps to make your own mini pies!

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can of pumpkin puree, 2 eggs, 1 12 oz can of evaporated milk, 2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 tsp of salt, 2 boxes of ready made pie crust, 1 cookie cutter (circle or heart shape), cooking spray, whipped cream

Instructions: 

1. First, spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

2. Unroll ready made crust and cut out shapes with cookie cutter.

3. Place cut out crust into each muffin cup. You will need to work with a bit to create the shape you want.

4. Combine the sugar, pumpkin pie spice, eggs, pumpkin puree and salt together. Once everything is combined, stir in the evaporated milk. 

5. When the mixture is combined, pour into each muffin cup. The mixture can reach almost to the top of the crust. 

6.  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes, depending on your oven. ( Mine were done a little after 30 minutes) You can check to see if they're done by putting a knife in the center, if it comes out clean they are done.

7. Let the pies cool and then garnish with whipped cream. The pies are now ready to enjoy and share with friends!

Christina xxoo

Cupcake of the Month: Candy Corn

Hey guys--

Today is National Candy Corn Day! I didn't plan to post this recipe because of that, but somehow it worked out perfectly. To celebrate a Halloween classic, follow these steps to make your own candy corn cupcakes!

Cupcake Ingredients: 1 box of vanilla cake mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil that are called for on the cake mix box

Frosting Ingredients: 7 cups of confectioners' sugar, 2 cups of butter, 3 tsp of vanilla extract, 6 tablespoons of whipping cream, orange food coloring, yellow food coloring, candy corn 

Frosting Instructions: 

1. This cupcake has 3 layers of frosting. They're all different colors, so make sure to use different bowls and piping bags.

2. You will make the yellow frosting first. The first step is to use a mixer to whisk together 3 cups of sugar and 1 cup of butter. Mix on a low speed until the mixture is blended and then increase to a medium speed for 3 minutes. 

3. Next, add 1 tsp vanilla, 2 tablespoons of whipping cream and yellow food coloring and continue to whisk on a medium speed for 1 minute.

4. The second frosting layer that you'll make is orange. Use a mixer to whisk together 2 cups of sugar and 1/2 cup of butter. Mix on a low speed until mixture is blended and then increase to a medium speed for 3 minutes. 

5. Repeat step 3 but add orange food coloring instead of yellow.

6. Now you're ready for the last layer, the white frosting. Repeat step 4.

7. Repeat step 3, but don't add any food coloring to your mixture.

Cupcake Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

3. In a large bowl, use a mixer to mix together cake mix, eggs, water and vegetable oil.

4. Pour the batter into the cupcake cups, fill about 2/3 full.

5. Bake for about 15 minutes.

6. Take the cupcakes out and let them cool down before icing them.

7. When cupcakes are cool, put yellow frosting into a piping bag and frost the first layer of the cupcakes.

8. Next, put orange frosting into a piping bag and frost the second layer of the cupcakes.

9. Then, put the white frosting into a piping bag and frost the third layer of the cupcakes. 

10. Complete your cupcakes by garnishing each one with a little candy corn. Enjoy!

Christina xxoo

October's Treat: "Pumpkin" Candy Apples

This recipe was supposed to be posted yesterday, but I had to go to the hospital. Nothing serious, I'm just sick! Sorry for the delay. Anyway, I'd never made candy apples until these and I'd always wanted to. I thought that these were adorable. Give me any recipe that mixes apples and pumpkins during the month of October and I'm in. I hope you all enjoy these as much as I did! 

Ingredients: apples, large kabob or popsicle sticks, orange gel food coloring, green and orange frosting, 1 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of light corn syrup, parchment paper, candy thermometer 

Instructions: 

1. Prepare by washing the apples and laying down parchment paper onto the plate/container that apples will be placed on. 

2.  Remove the stems from the apples and stick the kabob/popsicle sticks into the center of the apples.

3.  In a pot on stove top, combine sugar, light corn syrup and water.

4. Stir mixture on high heat until it starts to boil.

5. Once mixture is boiling, stop stirring and place candy thermometer into the pot.

6. Once the mixture reaches 285 degrees Farenheit, lower the heat and put orange food coloring into the mix. (How much food coloring you should use really just depends. Start by adding 1/2 tsp and continue to add more to get the color you like.)

7. Dip apples into the candy mixture. Make sure each apple is completely covered. & Dip apples as quickly as possible.

8. Then, let the excess mixture drip off of the apple back into the pot.

9. Next, place the apple on parchment paper and let dry. 

10. Use orange icing to draw lines down the apple, to imitate that of a pumpkin.

11. Then, use green icing to draw a circle around the top of the apple, to imitate a pumpkin's stem and leaves. 

12. Let the frosting on the apples dry and you are finished! Enjoy your "pumpkin" apples with some friends and fall fun!

Christina xxoo

Cupcake of the Month: Chocolate Salted Caramel

Hey guys--

I love salty caramel flavored treats. I especially crave them when the weather starts to get cooler. I  found this Chocolate Salted Caramel Cupcake recipe on The Domestic Rebel Blog and I knew I had to try them!

These cupcakes are sweet with the perfect amount of salty. 

Follow these steps to make them for yourself!

Author: Hayley Parker, The Domestic Rebel

Cupcake Ingredients: 1 box of chocolate cake mix, 1 stick of softened butter, 3 eggs, 1& 1/2 cups of buttermilk, 1 box of chocolate instant pudding mix, 1 jar of caramel sundae sauce, coarse sea salt, dark chocolate and caramel bliss candies, chocolate caramel frosting (recipe & ingredients below)

Frosting Ingredients: 

1 stick of softened butter, 1/4 cup of cocoa, 1/4 cup of caramel coffee syrup (such as Torani or Monin), 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, 4 cups of powdered sugar

Frosting Instructions:

1. With a mixer, beat together 1 stick of butter, 1/4 cup of cocoa, 1/4 cup of caramel coffee syrup and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract until combined.

2. Gradually add 4 cups of powdered sugar to the mixture, about a cup at a time.

Cupcake Instructions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Line cupcake tins with paper liners.

3. In a large bowl, combine cake mix,butter, eggs and buttermilk with an electric mixer. Beat until mixed and stir in pudding mix.

4. Pour the batter in the cupcake cups, fill about 2/3 full. 

5. Bake for about 15 minutes.

6. Remove the cupcakes from the oven and let cool for about 15 minutes.

7. Using a toothpick, poke holes in the tops of the cooled cupcakes.

8. Pour about a tablespoon of caramel sundae sauce over the tops of the cupcakes.

9. Place the frosting into a piping bag and pipe onto cupcakes.

10. Sprinkle coarse salt onto the tops of the cupcake.

11. Decorate each cupcake by placing a dark chocolate and caramel candy on top. & Enjoy!

Christina xxoo