Quick Chocolate Covered Cherrry "Cake Balls"

Yes, yes.....I know the last time I posted it was "cake pops" but I couldn't resist...

I get out to Rogers, Arkansas about twice a month.  Sometimes I wanna shop, or return an item I ordered in the mail to a store or go to the grocery store......I'll tell you it's mostly to go to yarn stores.....and the grocery store.

All I can say is that the grocery stores around the immediate are are below my usual expectations having grown up in a large city at lest less than a mile away from a Central Market or some other equivilant.  Yes, I'm a grocery snob.  Not afraid to admit it.  To me the grocery store...like a really awesome grocery store...just the same as Disney Land to a kid.

Sometimes I also just wanna head out of Dodge and Rogers is only 45 minutes away....

Anyway, last time I was there I stopped into Fresh Market (like ya do) and went by there bakery section.   Now I love the bakery section there.  Not only are the desserts in the case gorgeous....they always have some sort of interesting seasonal doughnut holes for sale.

This month: Cherry.

Candy House!

Aaaaaaand that's it!! :)

So here it is...the last day to enter the giveaway.

So ENTER!

Ya know how I've been a little vague on what exactly I would be buying at Candy House to give away??

Well that's because I didn't quite know.  Ya see, I never know what I'm going to get until I step in the shop (and it's the cutest little shop too....I'll Instagram a pic next time I'm there.)

Well I went this morning.  They open at 9:30....I was there at 9:33......would have been there sooner if I hadn't been jonesin' for a Chai Tea Latte.....

Anyway.....here's what I bought for the winner of the giveaway!!

That's one gift basket my friends....and one of each flavor of candy apple they make!

Let's see.....what's in that gift bag??

The Perfect Chocolate Cupcake

So a while back...wow almost a year ago I made some of the most perfect cupcakes ever.  Perfect chocolate cupcakes.  I have always been fond of Joy the Baker's chocolate cupcake recipe...but sometimes it is a little unreliable.  I've had them cave in more times than they've com out....

So I did some tinkering from another recipe I use quite a bit and came out with perfect, fool proof, soft, delicious chocolate cupcakes.

They're awesome.  Served them at my daughter's 4th birthday party and they were a smashing success....

Here's her cupcakes from last year...

Double Chocolate Cookies

I like drop cookies...a lot.

I mean don't get me wrong...I love decorating...but there's something in the oh so instant gratification of just dropping dough on the cookie sheet and puting it in the oven.....

And then doin' NOTHING with it.

Ahhhhhh.....the simple life.

Ok so I couldn't leave them COMPLETELY alone....just a few...little eyeballs....

Anyway,  these cookies are AMAZING!  Like a delicious brownie. I kid you not.  The perfect texture, the perfect size, not cakey, not too dense, not too chewy...soft and light.... DELICIOUS.  And so easy to make!!!

Caramel Macchiato Brownies

So I will admit....I'm not a huge coffee drinker.  I'm a little sensitive to caffeine.  That and I can't just drink it black.  I have to have some cream and sugar...THEN I like coffee...

So I STAY AWAY from Starbucks...because they have that SUGAR+coffee thing down....to a science.  

When fall comes around...sucker for those pumpkin spice....everything.  I try to limit myself to a skinny non fat cinnamon latte if I EVER decide I will give in to coffee....in college coffee and I were pretty tight...amigos...campadres...

Anyway....I don't drink coffee...I drink caffeinated sugar milk basically.....and that is why I am not a huge coffee drinker.

Doesn't mean I don't still WANT the sugar cream concoction...I do.  And I would have to say the KING of the over sugared creamy coffee drink would be...

The Caramel Macchiato

those yummy caramels are from Firefly Confections

I wanted one really bad the other day and I had no clue why....  Maybe I was in a caramel mood...but I was also in a dark chocolate coffee mood.  I was at a loss...

So I baked me some brownies...and put coffee in it....and then topped it with thick caramel sauce....and sugar...and chocolate...

Because I'M BAD!

Recipe: Easy Brownie Triangles with Mint "Buttercream"

So after the events last Friday, I didn't feel much like working over the weekend.

It's Christmas, a time for love and family and peace, and the thought of working through another weekend with my daughter was a little depressing.  So I didn't.  I had fun with her instead.

Every time I make cookies she asks me if she can be my little helper.  It's heartbreakingly sweet...that little face with those doe eyes looking up at me.... tho I know her real motivation is just to get her hands on a cookie and icing...to eat it.  Still...

So this weekend I made a project that she and I could do together.  Even got the hubs to join in.

So yeah, it's a family activity.  Something you can easily do with your kids this holiday.  And it's fun too!

No, these wont be OMG amazing or expertly done or perfect by any means....just clean wholesome down and dirty baking fun.

WFD? Hot Cocoa Roll Out Cookies

So earlier this week, I posted some hot cocoa cookies inspired by a Christmas card.  It was all part of Haniela's post link up, which was super fun.

Anyway, I mentioned that they were hot cocoa flavored and I got a decent response for the recipe.

So here it is!:

Christmas Card Inspiration: Hot Cocoa

Thanksgiving is over so I can start talking about Christmas now right??

I love Christmas.  I love decorating, making cookies, listening to music, and doing those cool fun neighborhood activities like cookie swaps and Christmas parties.  

Thanks to the internet, it's possible to include all my cookie friends from around the world into traditions now.  I love it!  So now on my list of favorite things about Christmas, are cookie link ups and challenges.  :)

Gothic Halloween

Happy Halloween Everyone!!  :)

Chocolate and White Halloween

I really don't enjoy black icing.

I just don't.  So I try and use it as sparingly as humanly possible.

Well during my design session for this years Halloween cookies, I noticed quite a few designs that required black icing....and we're talking lots of black......

Me no likey that....

So here's what I did instead

Right so it's not exactly black but the general point is made.  And the best part about it....you only have to mix one icing color.  If that.  It's just white.  White icing on chocolate cookies.

Now I suppose I could have added more cocoa or a little bit of Americolor black to the dough to make it darker....yes, that would have been nice looking.  But I didn't....because I didn't think of it till after I baked them.  Crikey.

But still....for some fast and easy cookies...not too shabby.  I used a little bit of Americolor black mixed with some water and painted on my remaining details.  These were seriously fast...and fun too!!  I even put a little sanding sugar on my ghost and moon.

I will be posting the last of my Halloween cookies tomorrow...on Halloween.  Seems fitting.

Till tomorrow!!!

Sweet Halloween

Ok, so I am arriving SO last minute to the Halloween Party this year.

Truth is, I've been so busy nesting for baby and getting ready for my big trip to Cookie Con, I've fallen a little behind.

 made like 5 different sets of Halloween designs and only finished 3.  Perhaps I can still re purpose some of them.  Or possibly post them late?  Dunno.  Haven't figured it out yet.

Anywho...  here's a quick little set I made for the kiddies.

Nothing fancy or WOW about them.  But cute and fun all the same.  All made with a little candy cutter.

I do have to say, I am SUPER excited and SUPER nervous about Cookie Con this year.
I'm teaching a class.....scary I know.  Now there is some REAL Halloween terror for you right there.

But I'm also really looking forward to seeing my cookie friends, and I know it's going to be a whole lot of fun.

I might post my teaching project and some pics of Cookie Con when I get back.  Perhaps a few tutorials of what I am teaching for those who are unable to make it this year.  It's all up in the air.  I dunno...

Anyway, I will probably have another post today....maybe two more...because I have 2 more sets to show you.  And I was hoping to have a tutorial for one of them but I don't know that I'm going to be able to get to it.  Boo....

Tell then.....!

WFD? Guinness Chocolate Cake with Baily Scented Cream

EAT ME!  I'M IRISH!  That was going to be my alternative title...but I figured... yeah maybe not. 

St. Patty's Day is this weekend, which means we're going all Irish this week.

Remember St. Patty's last year?

yes, that's my hubs with his St. Patty's Day version of "green beer".  Green Chardonnay.  Just to class it up.

or was that the year before??

Anywho, I was just thinking about that St. Patty's Day and how my husband was the only one getting festive.  Trying to cheer me up after a bad day by being his usual silly self. 

So I thought maybe this year I should do something for him for St. Patty's Day.  Cheer him up after a long day at work.