Easter Cake Cocktail

April 13, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 14 Comments

You didn’t think I’d let Easter come and go without giving you at least one holiday-appropriate cocktail, did you? Despite the fact that ~~Mother Nature has obviously lost her flipping mind~~ it is in the 80s today here in Jersey (after being cold enough for winter jackets last week) I am trying to stay in the Spring/Easter spirit. This cocktail definitely put me in the right frame of mind!!

Cocont, lemon, white chocolate…. Hmmmmm. Kind of sounds like a liquid version of my Lemon Coconut Magic Bars, doesn’t it?! They were a hit, and I am sure this will be too!

Easter Cake Cocktail

Ingredients:

1.5 oz Malibu Coconut Rum
1 oz Drillaud White Cocoa Creme de Cacao (or any white chocolate liqueur)
.5 oz Limoncello
2 oz half & half/milk/coconut milk
2 tsp white cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
ice
Whipped cream and sprinkles for garnish (optional)

Directions:

In a cocktail shaker, combine rum, creme de cacao, limoncello, half & half and cake mix. Stir to incorporate cake mix into the liquid before adding ice and shaking till cold. Pour into glass and top with whipped cream and sprinkles. You could also use coconut flakes as a garnish instead of sprinkles.

* Please note that for these photos I doubled the recipe to fill the mason jar.

Even though I have named this drink after the upcoming holiday, it would make a lovely summer drink as well. You could even blend in some vanilla or coconut ice cream to make a Lemon Coconut Cake Shake!

Do you have a favorite Easter cocktail? Leave a comment letting me know what it is! I am always looking for holiday themed drink recipes! Hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

Lemon Coconut Magic Bars

April 4, 2014April 5, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 22 Comments

Hi all! Is it finally starting at act like spring where you are? I think the temperature here in NJ actually got above 60 degrees today! Of course, it’s supposed to be all crappy and rainy today but that’s okay because I just baked a batch of sunshine last night. 🙂 Lemon cake, coconut flakes, Lemon Creme Oreos, pretty pastel White Chocolate M&M’s. These Lemon Coconut Magic Bars look like spring and taste like summer!

Lemon Coconut Magic Bars
Adapted from Samoa Magic Bars by The Domestic Rebel

Ingredients

1 box of lemon cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup Easter White Chocolate M&M’s
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup coconut flakes
10 Lemon Creme Oreos
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13×9 inch pan with foil, spray the foil lightly with cooking spray and set aside. (I used a metal, nonstick pan. The baking times may vary if you use glass.)

2. In a large bowl combine the cake mix, egg and butter until a soft dough forms. Press the dough evenly in the bottom of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.

3. While the dough is baking, roughly chop the Oreos into small pieces and measure out the M&M’s, white chocolate chips and coconut flakes.

4. Remove the pan from the oven and pour about 3/4 of the sweetened condensed milk on top of the cake. Next, evenly cover the cake with the chopped Oreos, white chocolate chips, coconut flakes and White Chocolate M&M’s. Drizzle the remaining sweetened condensed milk on top.

5. Return to the oven and bake for approximately 15 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven. Allow the bars to set at room temperature until cool before cutting into bars. I stored mine overnight in a covered container in the refrigerator before taking them in to work the next day, but according to the original recipe these will keep at room temperature in an airtight container for several days.

I’ll be honest – this might be the best (non-alcoholic) thing I’ve made to date. The house smelled wonderful while it was baking, the lightness of the lemon and the coconut flavors keep it from being TOO sweet and I just love the colors of the M&M’s. This would be an easy treat to make for Easter, or for the weekend, or for Monday… You really don’t need any reason to make these bars other than the fact that they are absolutely delicious!

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all have a great weekend!

Mounds Cake Mix Cookies

March 31, 2014March 30, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 1 Comment

It’s been a while since I shared any cake mix cookies with you, hasn’t it? Never fear though, I whipped up a batch that is perfect for Easter! I found Mounds flavored pudding at the store a few weeks ago; chocolate and coconut – one of my favorite flavor combinations! I thought that cake mix cookies made with the Mounds pudding would go wonderfully with the Coconut M&M’s I couldn’t resist when I was at Target last week!

Mounds Cake Mix Cookies
(adapted from Funfetti Cheesecake Cookies by Kitchen Meets Girl)

Ingredients

1 box white cake mix
1 box Mounds instant pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/3 cup spring colored sprinkles
Coconut M&M’s

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil and eggs in a medium bowl until a dough forms. Mix in the spring sprinkles.
3. Roll dough into small balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten the cookie balls slightly with your palm.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press two (or three) coconut M&M’s into the top of each cookie. Let cool for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

These are chewy and delicious, and perfect for those of us who still want some chocolate with our spring-time treats!

Orange Peepsicle Cookies

March 24, 2014April 4, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 17 Comments

I don’t care what Mother Nature says. So what if there is MORE snow in the forecast this week?! It is SPRING and I have the cookies to prove it!!

If you know me, you know that I am a PEEPS freak and I am loving all the new flavors I have been finding in the stores lately. Valentine’s Day brought cherry dipped in chocolate and strawberry creme, and now for Easter I have discovered orange creme PEEPS. I also found Pillsbury Creamsicle cookie mix, and I thought what would could more fun than an Orange Peepsicle Cookie?

These are so easy to make! All you need is a box of the Pillsbury Creamsicle cookie mix, one stick of butter, one egg, a tub of Pillsbury Whipped Supreme Vanilla Frosting, Orange Creme PEEPS and sprinkles in lovely spring colors.

To make: Prepare the cookie mix and bake according to the directions on the box. Once the cookies have cooled, spread on the frosting, sprinkle on the sprinkles and top with an Orange Creme PEEP! The only problem is that I haven’t been able to find the Orange Creme PEEPS in a package larger than the three pack pictured above. Since the cookie mix makes about 2 dozen cookies and you might not want to buy 8 packs of PEEPS, you can make cookie sandwiches with any of the leftover cookies!

These are so delicious! The chewy creamsicle cookie, the fluffy vanilla frosting and the even fluffier PEEP on top – it is the perfect combination of textures and flavors. Perfect for stuffing into your face during the 16th, (17th? I’m losing track!) winter storm of the year!

These will also be a perfect treat to make for the kids (or grownups like me!) when Easter rolls around! Hopefully we won’t be doing egg hunts in snow drifts!

St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes

March 14, 2014March 13, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 4 Comments

Are you looking for a easy, but totally festive dessert to make for St. Patrick’s Day? Look no further!!

Take a white boxed cake mix and prepare according to the directions on the box. Before baking, add orange food coloring or gel paste until you reach the desired shade. After the cupcakes have baked and cooled, whip up a batch of your favorite vanilla frosting (here’s mine!). Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and garnish with the green candies of your choice. I used Mint M&M’s, but you could just pick out the green ones from a plain bag, use Skittles, green Sixlets or even jellybeans since they are already popping up in the stores.

If you prefer a more liquid St. Paddy’s Day treat I have a few cocktails for you to check out! There’s the Whipped Popsicle (it’s the perfect shade of green!), Summer Green Sangria, and the Drunken Irish Potato! Everyone have fun and remember to drink responsibly this St. Patrick’s Day. That means that for every cocktail you drink, you should also have a cupcake!

Spiked Irish Potatoes

March 10, 2014March 9, 2014 ~ Angela ~ 16 Comments

Hi everyone! Sorry I have been MIA for the past two months! In addition to this being the WORST winter weather-wise (seriously, 3rd snowiest winter in Philadelphia – I think I have spent half the past two months just shoveling my driveway!), this has also been a very bad start to 2014 on a personal level. Hence, my disappearing act. Things are better now though, and with St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner I am hoping a bit of the Luck o’ the Irish will get everyone through the rest of this winter unscathed! In order to facilitate said luck, I made some Irish Potatoes and added an extra special ingredient – booze (I know, no surprise there right?)!

If you aren’t from around here you may not be aware of these delightful confections. I am obviously not talking about those spuds that grow in the ground. I am talking cream cheese, powdered sugar, coconut flakes and cinnamon. They are a traditional Philadelphia candy that look like little potatoes, and are especially popular this time of year. There is absolutely nothing Irish about them. 🙂

Until last year when I shared my Drunken Irish Potato cocktail recipe, I had no idea that people outside of the Philadelphia area may have never experienced the sweet perfection of these little treats. So this year I am making it my mission to get everyone acquainted with my little spuddy buddy, the Irish Potato.

These couldn’t be any easier to make and the taste payoff is beyond worth the minimal effort! You just mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, roll the mixture into little balls or potato shapes and then cover them in cinnamon! And then you spend the rest of the night sneaking into the fridge to grab “just one more” and furtively wiping the traces of cinnamon from your fingers. Or maybe that’s just me…

Spiked Irish Potatoes (adapted from Irish Potato Candy submitted to Allrecipes.com by Saundra)

Ingredients

1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 of an 8 oz. package of cream cheese
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon Malibu Coconut Rum OR 1 tablespoon RumChata OR 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
ground cinnamon

Directions

In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the liquor of your choice (or vanilla extract if you don’t want to use alcohol) and confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, beating until smooth. Mix in the coconut flakes – I used my hands! – and then chill the mixture for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator. Pour a few tablespoons of ground cinnamon into a small bowl. Once the mixture has chilled, roll into small balls or potato shapes and then coat in the cinnamon. Place onto a cookie sheet and chill to set.

The addition of the coconut rum just enhances the coconut flavor in the Malibu potatoes, and the RumChata potatoes were slightly creamier with a hint of vanilla. These aren’t overwhelmingly boozy the way rum balls at Christmastime can be.

These are fun to make, and even more fun to eat! If you leave out the booze these are definitely an easy St. Patty’s Day treat that kids can help whip up; their little hands are perfect for shaping these bite sized spuds! If you have never had an Irish Potato before, give these a try and let me know what you think! I’d love to hear from any first-timers out there!

If you agree that the combination of creamy coconut and cinnamon is as awesome as I think it is, try out my liquid version – the Drunken Irish Potato!

Merry Christmas Baby!

December 23, 2013 ~ Angela ~ Leave a comment

I just delivered this adorable set of cookies to a coworker who is doing a “Baby’s First Christmas” theme this year to celebrate her grandson. I really enjoyed making the little onesie cookies.

And since this is a baby themed post, here is me with Santa when I was a wee one. So precious…

Winter Wonderland Cookies

December 18, 2013December 17, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 2 Comments

I think this might be my new favorite cookie set. I love the icy blue, the sparkly glitter, and the happy little snowmen with their “carrot” noses (aka orange sprinkles!). It’s been snowing a lot here in NJ already, so even though it technically isn’t even Winter yet we’ve definitely had quite a few Winter Wonderland days.

Or perhaps it’s only been more like Winter Wonderland hours. Unfortunately, living in a highly populated area with lots of cars and dirt and whatnot means that the snow doesn’t stay sparkly and white for a long time. 😦

There is no need to worry about these cookies getting dingy though! They will stay as pristine and lovely as the freshly fallen snow…

…until you eat them!

Dark Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies

December 16, 2013December 15, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 10 Comments

Hello all! It’s that time of year – cookie baking madness has taken over many a household. I heard from someone who baked 15 dozen cookies on Saturday, and another friend made 8 different types of cookies! My Facebook newsfeed was filled with pictures of thumbprints, chocolate chip cookies, sugar cookies and all kinds of other tasty goodies! I LOVE IT!

I too was was bitten by the cookie baking bug and of course, I made more cake mix cookies. It’s been… well, it’s only been a few days since my last cake mix cookie post, but that’s long enough – right?!

I also took the opportunity to get out my Snoopy cookie jar! Isn’t it cute?

In case you haven’t read any of my posts raving about cake mix cookies before, I’ll give you a quick run-down. They are simple, customizable and delicious! If you have never made them before, you must try them and if you have made them before then you are probably making some more right now because they are THAT GOOD!

These ones are dark chocolatey, chewy, minty Christmas cookie happiness. If you have any mint fans in your household these are a must bake!

Dark Chocolate Mint Chip Cookies
(adapted from Funfetti Cheesecake Cookies by Kitchen Meets Girl)

Ingredients

1 box devil’s food cake mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1/3 and 1/4 cup Nestle® Toll House® Winter Dark Chocolate and Mint Morsels, divided

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine cake mix, oil and eggs in a medium bowl until a dough forms. Mix in 1/3 cup of the morsels.
3. Roll dough into small balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Flatten the cookie balls slightly and then press a few of the remaining morsels onto the top of each cookie.
4. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven, cool for 2 minutes and then move to a wire rack.

Makes about 18 cookies.

Best Cookies To Bring To A Cookie Exchange (new102.cbslocal.com)
Fresh Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies (bakerbettie.com)
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bars (indiavision.com)

The Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap!

December 11, 2013December 11, 2013 ~ Angela ~ 11 Comments

I was SO excited to participate in the 3rd Annual Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap this year! The second I read about it on Facebook I knew I wanted to get in on the action! The premise was simple – sign up, make a donation to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer and await your matches! I would get the names and info for three other food bloggers, each of whom I would send one dozen cookies to. There would also be three people sending ME a dozen cookies each. No one would know who they were matched with until the cookies started to arrive. Ummm, cookies in the mail?! YES PLEASE!!

Every day after work as I pulled into the driveway I would check the doorstep for a box from the post office. Would I have any cookies today??! Who would they be from? What flavor would they be? While the anticipation itself was fun, eating all the cookies was the best part! They were all absolutely delicious!

I received cookies from Becca at Two Places at Once, Karyn at Pint Sized Baker and Kristy at Sweet Treats & More. Make sure you check out their blogs for their cookie swap recipes!

Since my Pumpkin Toffee Cheesecake cookies were such a hit, I decided to use the same base recipe but this time I added dried cranberries and white chocolate chips. I was mailing the cookies out before Thanksgiving, and I thought the cranberry and pumpkin were perfect flavors for Turkey Day!

My cookies were sent to (and hopefully enjoyed by!) Meghan at Stir & Scribble, Betsy from Betsylife and Megan at Nutrition Awareness.

Cran-Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookies
(adapted from Funfetti Cheesecake Cookies by Kitchen Meets Girl)

Ingredients

1 box Pillsbury Perfectly Pumpkin cake mix
1 small box instant cheesecake pudding mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup white chocolate chips for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, oil and eggs in a medium bowl until a dough forms. Mix in dried cranberries.
3. I just grabbed blobs of dough and rolled them into balls, but you can use a cookie scoop if you prefer. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets. Press a few white chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie if you desire.
4. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies begin to brown slightly. Remove from oven, cool for 2 minutes and then move to a wire rack.

Makes about 24 cookies.

I had an AWESOME time participating in the cookie swap and I can’t wait to do it again next year! Over $13,000 was raised for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer and I got to discover wonderful new bloggers and ~~stuff myself with~~ enjoy some fabulous cookies. Win, win, win! Many thanks to Lindsay from Love & Olive Oil and Julie from The Little Kitchen for all their hard work at putting the swap together! Be on the lookout for an amazing round-up of ALL the cookie swap recipes. I am sure there will be plenty of cookies you will want to add to your holiday baking lists!