Owl Gender Reveal Cupcakes

Owl Themed Gender Reveal Cupcakes

 

Guess WHOO

 

Pink OR Blue

 

Step-by-step of how I made my Buttercream Owls

 

 

Our Reveal!

We recently had our 20 week doctors appointment and ultrasound, in which we were luckily enough to be able to find out little Dex's gender! We decided to have our families over for dinner to reveal baby's gender to everyone at once and in person! Since I'm a little bit of a baker I wanted to try making a new type of cupcake but that could still be used for that very purpose. So I went with was is called a Hi Hat Cupcake.

This is what they are suppose to look like...

but mine were a complete FAIL!

The marshmallow frosting turned out a disaster, I don't think I got it hot enough or maybe the gel tint ruined it, I don't know. But I wanted to show I still make mistakes and things don't always go as planned in the baking world. I usually don't share many of my failed attempts at dinners or baked goods but this one was a complete and utter flop!

I, of course did not fully prepare these cupcakes a head time, I decided to wait to put them together after our appointment with only an hour and a half in between till our families were to arrive.  Poor planning on my part!

Fortunately for me, even though the frosting never got to the consistency I needed it still tasted wonderful so I tinted it and made it the filling inside the cupcake.

It's all about improvising! 

 Plus, I always keep left over frosting in the freezer and was so thankful I do so, I already had extra chocolate cream cheese frosting in there so I quickly defrosted and whipped up to top off my cupcakes. They turned out awesome!

The blue cupcakes are my failed attempt at the frosting not going my way. The chocolate are my improvised version.

We waited until after we ate dinner for the reveal....to help build the anticipation of course ;)

We gave Carter the first cupcake to bite into so he could reveal if his new cousin would be a girl or boy.

 Cupcakes reveal BOY!!

The large majority thought for sure it was a girl, but everyone is thrilled to have another little boy in the family.

We are so excited to meet our little man in August!

Jackson's 1st Birthday

I had the honor in making our close friends, Chad and Kelsey's son Jackson's 1st birthday smash cake and cupcakes.

 With a Mickey Mouse theme in a blue and white color scheme.  

Cupcakes: Chocolate Covered Strawberry and Chocolate-Chocolate Chip with Chocolate Cream Cheese topped with marshmallow fondant Mickey Mouse and "2's".

Happy 1st Birthday Jackson Jones!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cake

Another Love of mine: Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Although I don't eat ice cream very often, this is one my top flavors. So of course once I came across this cake, I knew it was a must have at some point. Luckily, I'm not the only one who loves this flavor ice cream. As soon as I told my friend Tera about this cake she immediately ordered it for her father's birthday since it's his favorite too!

 

Mint Chocolate Chip CakeSource: www.raspberricupcakes.com

• 9 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 1/2 cups cake flour (not self-raising, I just used plain flour and replaced 3 tbsp with cornflour/cornstarch)
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup strong coffee (or water if you don't want to use coffee)
• 1/2 cup whole or low-fat milk

For the icing:

• 2.5 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 2-3 tsp peppermint extract, adjust to taste
• 4-6 tsp water or milk
• 3 Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate bars, very finely chopped or pulsed through a food processor
• green food coloring
• Optional: waffle ice cream cones to decorate

Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare two 9-inch round cake pans. Sift together the cocoa powder, flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a bowl. Using an electric mixer with a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar about 5 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully incorporated.

Mix together the coffee and milk. Stir half of the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, the add the coffee and milk. Finally stir in the other half of the dry ingredients until smooth. Split batter mixture between the two prepared pans. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and cool in tin about 5 mins, then place on a wire rack and cool completely before icing.

 

For the icing: Place softened butter in a large mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer on high until fluffy and smooth. Add sifted icing sugar one cup at a time, beating until combined. Add peppermint extract to taste and green food colouring. Add water or milk one teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency for spreading on the cake. Gradually add chocolate chip pieces until you have a good distribution of chocolate bits.

Use about 1/4 of the icing on top of one of the cakes and smooth over with a spatula. Place second cake top side down on top of the iced cake. Cover entire cake with more icing, smoothing with a spatula. I used an offset spatula, running it under hot water every now and then to help keep the surface smoother. Use the leftover icing to form scoops of icing to place on top of the cake, arranged however you like. Use mini ice cream cones or chop the ends of normal-sized cones and place on top of icing scoops. Alternatively you could cover the top with extra dark chocolate chips. Can be served immediately or stored in an airtight container overnight. Serve at room temperature.

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

I've really been looking forward to making these cupcakes for a long time! I love chocolate, I love fresh strawberries, and I of course love me some chocolate covered strawberries. So why not put it in cupcake form?!?! 

These are literally To. Die. For.

I mean what's not to love, really? The strawberry buttercream makes this cupcake. I would advise not to cheat and taste it ahead of time or you might just find yourself licking right off the spatula! But don't worry there will be some frosting leftover for you to do just that ;) Yes, it's really that good!

I made these for a special occasion, saying goodbye to my wonderful boss! Today was her last day as she took another position, we will truly miss her!!!

Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes

From My Baking Addiction

Yield: 24 cupcakes

For the Cupcakes:
1 (18.25 ounce) package devil’s food cake mix
1 (5.9 ounce) package instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup sour cream
1 cup vegetable oil
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup warm water

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat together the cake and pudding mixes, sour cream, oil, eggs, vanilla and water. Beat for about two minutes on medium speed until well combined.
3. Using a large cookie scoop, distribute the batter between 24 muffin wells; about 3 tablespoons of batter per well.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick entered into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool inside muffin tins for about 10 minutes.
5. Remove cupcakes from muffin tins and allow to fully cool on a wire rack. Once cupcakes are cool, prepare your frosting.

For the Buttercream:
3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
pinch of fine grain sea salt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pounds confectioners’ sugar, sifted
6 ounces strawberries, pureed
4-6 tablespoons heavy cream

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, cream butter on medium speed until fluffy. Turn your mixer down to low speed and slowly add in the confectioner’s sugar, and continue mixing until well blended.
2. Add salt, vanilla, 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and strawberry puree. Blend on low speed until moistened. Add an additional 1 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency. Beat at high speed until frosting is smooth and fluffy
3. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes and finish with a chocolate covered strawberry.



Cookie Dough Truffles

Anytime I make chocolate chip cookies I can't help but eating some of the raw cookie dough. However, I know you're not suppose to since it has raw eggs in it. This is a great way to still get that cookie dough taste without worrying about any raw and uncooked products. No eggs even included. And no cooking! They have mini chocolate chips inside and are covered in semi-sweet chocolate and drizzled with milk chocolate. It's a triple chocolate trifecta. Yum! 

Cookie Dough Truffles www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Yield: 48 truffles Time: about 40 min hands on time + 2 hours to freeze before dipping 1/2 C butter, softened 3/4 C brown sugar, packed 2 1/4 C flour 1 -14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk 1 t vanilla 1/2 C mini chocolate chips 2 -12 oz bags semi sweet chocolate chips 1/4 C milk chocolate chips 1 T shortening, divided 1. Cream your butter and brown sugar together until light and fluffy. 2. Add the flour, sweetened condensed milk and vanilla and mix well. 3. Stir in the mini chocolate chips. 4. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on a sprayed cookie sheet. Cover with saran wrap and freeze for 1-2 hours. You want them to be firm here folks. It makes the dipping a lot easier. 5. In a liquid measuring cup (I used the cup that will hold 16 oz, or 2 cups) melt your semi sweet chocolate in the microwave. Only heat it for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating interval. Add about 2 t of shortening to the chocolate and stir to incorporate. 6. Dip each frozen cookie dough ball into the chocolate and then place on wax paper. 7. Melt the milk chocolate in the microwave and add 1 t shortening. Stir it well and then drizzle it over the tops of the truffles. 7. Put the truffles back in the fridge to set for about 15 minutes. Enjoy! Comments _displayNameOrEmail_ - _time_ - Remove _text_

Candy Bar Caramel Corn

I know I've said before how I love homemade caramel corn. This time around it's been taken to a whole new level! Caramel corn with candy bar chunks then drizzled with white and semi sweet chocolate...addicting! My dad can atest to that, he LOVED it!

Crunchy Candy Bar Caramel Corn www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com Time: 30 minutes + 15 minutes to set up Yield: One large jelly roll pan full Recipe adapted from Your Homebased Mom 16 C popped popcorn (1/2 C unpopped) 1 C brown sugar 1/4 C corn syrup 1/2 C butter 1/2 t baking soda 1 t vanilla 15 fun sized candy bars (I used twix, milky way and 1000 Grands) 1 C white chocolate chips 1/2 C semi sweet chocolate chips 1 t shortening 1. Pop 6 cups of popcorn. 2. In a medium sized glass bowl, or large glass measuring cup, place the butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. Heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. Stir the ingredients together with a wooden spoon. Repeat this step four more times. Heat and stir... Heat and stir... Heat and stir... and a final "heat and stir". It should be very bubbly and hot at this point. 3. Add the baking soda, vanilla and a dash of salt. 4. Pour the popcorn into a large brown paper grocery sack. 5. Pour the caramel right into the bag on top of the popcorn. Stir it around with a wooden spoon. 6. Fold the bag over and place it in the microwave, heat for 1 minute. Take the bag out of the microwave and shake it....shake it.....shake it. 7. Return the bag to the microwave and heat it for an additional 30 second, then shake it again. 8. Pour the caramel corn out onto a large jelly roll pan, lined with parchment paper. 9. Chop up the candy bars and lay them out over the caramel corn. 10. Heat the white chocolate chips in the microwave, for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each heating interval. Don't let the chocolate get too hot. Add 1/2 t shortening to the melted chocolate and stir to combine. 11. Drizzle the white chocolate over the top of the caramel corn and candy bars. 12. Melt the semi sweet chocolate just like you melted the white chocolate. Drizzle it over the caramel corn. 13. Let the chocolate set up (you can pop it into the fridge for 10 minutes to hurry along the process). Break it up into chunks and serve. Store any leftovers in an air tight container. Enjoy! Comments _displayNameOrEmail_ - _time_ - Remove _text_

Rocky Road Popcorn

I'm a bit behind on a few new posts that have been patiently waiting for me to finally finish them from all the craziness these last two weeks.....time to play catch up ;)

I'm a huge fan of popcorn. Caramel corn. Cheddar Cheese. White cheddar. Loaded with butter. Or just plain stove top with salt.  Should I go on? I am obsessed with the homemade caramel corn I made last winter, found here. I've been looking forward to trying something new that you can't go buy at the store. Plus homemade is always better! This Rocky Road popcorn is the best of both worlds, salty 'n sweet and it's just as addicting at the caramel corn is.    

 Rocky road popcorn

Adapted from recipes by “Mouse Potato” and foodchannel.com

• 1 cup popping corn, popped
• 1 to 2 cups almonds (I used peanuts)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 stick butter
• ¼ cup light corn syrup
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 2½ cups miniature marshmallows, divided
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 250˚F. Spread popped popcorn on a greased baking sheet, and sprinkle with the almonds.
2. In a large heavy saucepan over medium heat, combine the sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt, and stir constantly until the mixture begins to boil.
3. Stop stirring and let the mixture boil for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Add 1½ cups of the marshmallows and stir until melted. Stir in vanilla. Pour marshmallow mixture over popcorn mixture; stir until well coated.
5. Bake popcorn and nuts for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove popcorn from oven and let cool.
6. Put chocolate chips into a large heatproof bowl set over, but not touching, a pot of simmering water, and stir until melted.
7. Add a few scoops of popcorn and nuts to the bowl of melted chocolate, and stir until coated. Then add a couple more scoops, and stir some more. Repeat until about half the batch of popcorn is coated in chocolate.
8. Pluck the popcorn pieces from the chocolate with tongs and spread them out on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of marshmallows over the chocolate-coated popcorn, and let cool.
9. When the chocolate has hardened, mix the chocolate-marshmallow-coated popcorn with the rest of the candied popcorn in a large bowl for serving. Store in an airtight container.

Baptism

Another first for me....my first Baptism cake!

I got the honor of making our friends Chad and Kelsey a cake and cupcakes for their son Jackson's Baptism. I always feel so honored when asked to make special cakes for any occasion and especially for this precious little boy! 

White Vanilla Cross cake with light blue marshmallow fondant ribbon.

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cupcakes with Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting and each topped with a fondant cross

These cupcakes were definitely a hit with all of little Jackson's family!! 

Happy Baptism Jackson and may God bless you! 

Hawkeye Cupcakes

This past weekend we celebrated the home opener of the Iowa Hawkeye's Football season. I made themed cupcakes to match.

These are Chocolate Chip cupcakes with a chocolate buttercream and a marshmallow fondant "I"

These are a Lemon cupcake with Lemon Cream Cheese frosting and a marshmallow fondant tiger hawk I hand drew with an edible marker.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

I've been wanting to make these Double Chocolate Zucchini cupcakes for a very long time now but have been hesitant since there is goat cheese in the frosting and I've never used goat cheese for anything. These cupcakes are filled with chocolate ganache and topped with a creamy goat cheese and cream cheese frosting. The frosting taste just like a cream cheese frosting you put on banana or pumpkin bars but with a little added tangy from the goat cheese that makes them even more delicious!

Double Chocolate Zucchini Cupcakes

1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking powder
1 1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter, room temp
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs, room temp
1/4 cup oil
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup whole milk, room temp
1 cup shredded zucchini
3/5 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped in chunks

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake trays with 18 cupcake liners. Mix together flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt with a wire whisk. Set aside. Cream butter with a mixer in a large bowl. Add sugar, eggs, oil and vanilla one at a time, mixing well with each addition.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions. Stir in the zucchini and chocolate chunks until combined.

Fill cupcake tins 2/3 full and place in oven immediately. Bake for 15-18 minutes.

Chocolate Ganache
2 oz semi-sweet chocolate bar, chopped in chunks
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup confectioners sugar

Place chocolate and whipping cream in the microwave. Heat in 30 seconds intervals, stirring in between until melted. Blend thoroughly. Add sugar and stir until thoroughly combined. Pour ganache into a small plastic bottle. Insert opening of squeeze bottle halfway into cupcake center and squeeze ganache until you see it start to surface.

Creamy Goat Cheese Frosting
5 oz goat cheese, room temp
3 oz cream cheese, room temp
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift sugar and set aside. Beat goat cheese, cream cheese and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until creamy. Gradually add the sugar, mixing and scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl in between additions. Spread frosting on top of cupcakes.

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

You may remember the Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake I recently made a few weeks ago. It was such a hit that I decided to turn it into cupcake form! I was asked to make a couple orders of cupcakes for my sister-in-laws parents housewarming party over the weekend and one of the requests was for a chocolate cupcake with the chocolate frosting I had used on the cookies and cream cake so I thought I would just turn the entire cake into a cupcake!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

Cake recipe from Hershey's

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare muffin tins with cupcake papers.

Add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and mix together until combined. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and extract and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water on low speed until well incorporated. The batter will be thin. Fill each cupcake about 2/3 full and bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool about 10 minutes in muffin tins then place on wire rack to cool completely.

Once cool hallow out the center for the filling.

Filling:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Approximately 20 Oreos

Pour heavy cream into metal mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Crush Oreos in a food processor and set aside. Add vanilla extract to cream beginning on low and gradually increasing speed to medium high as cream thickens. Add powdered sugar slowly while mixing. Beat cream until it holds stiff peaks. Gently fold in crushed Oreos.

Place filling in pastry bag or Ziploc plastic bag, cup the tip off and fill cupcakes

Frosting:1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter and pour over cocoa powder. Beat on low speed until well incorporated. Add 1 cup powdered sugar followed by 1/3 of the milk, beating on low speed until incorporated, continue alternating until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Add vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk to reach necessary consistency.

I got about 30 cupcakes from this recipe and only used half the filling to fill the cupcakes. I would recommend halving the filling next time.

Delicious!

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate

I know I've shared the recipes for these Hershey's Chocolate cupcakes here and chocolate cream cheese frosting here but they are just too good not to blog about again! I could eat the chocolate cream cheese frosting all by itself if it came too it, it's just seriously that good!! So when asked by my friend Meghan if I could make her come cupcakes for a little girls night get-together I knew these two would be the perfect pair to offer.

I even had some marshmallow fondant left over from the baseball cake I cut flowers out of and used as a cute little decoration.

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake

Hope everyone had a wonderful and safe Memorial Day weekend. This weekend is extra special for our family because we have 3 wedding anniversaries to celebrate! Since we all were going to be together I couldn't pass up the opportunity to bake something. This is one of the best tasting cakes I've made so far and really isn't that hard.  

Cookies and Cream Chocolate Cake

Cake recipe from Hershey's

Cake:

2 cups sugar

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray two 9" pans with baking spray and line the bottom of the pans with parchment paper.

Add sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large mixing bowl or stand mixer and mix together until combined. Add eggs, milk, vegetable oil, and extract and beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water on low speed until well incorporated. The batter will be thin. Divide batter evenly among pans and bake 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Run a knife around the edge of the cake and cool about 10 minutes. Invert onto wire racks covered with parchment paper and re-invert to another rack to cool right side up. Cool completely.

Filling:

2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Approximately 20 Oreos

Pour heavy cream into metal mixing bowl and chill in the refrigerator. Crush Oreos in a food processor and set aside. Add vanilla extract to cream beginning on low and gradually increasing speed to medium high as cream thickens. Add powdered sugar slowly while mixing. Beat cream until it holds stiff peaks.

Gently fold in crushed Oreos.

Trim off any rounded tops on the cake layers and cut each layer in half horizontally so you have 4 layers. Brush off excess crumbs. Put a spoonful of frosting on the center of the cake board or platter and top with first layer of cake. Spread about 1/4 of the cream on the first layer and smooth out with a spatula. Add next layer of cake and repeat with next 2 layers, ensuring each layer is level. Once all the layers are stacked, place cake in the freezer for about 15 minutes to set.

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter
2/3 cup cocoa powder
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter and pour over cocoa powder. Beat on low speed until well incorporated. Add 1 cup powdered sugar followed by 1/3 of the milk, beating on low speed until incorporated, continue alternating until all the powdered sugar is incorporated. Add vanilla and beat on medium speed until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk to reach necessary consistency.

Apply a crumb coat of frosting, chill about 20 minutes and then frost with remaining frosting.

Pipe on remaining filling as desired to decorate and garnish with halved or quartered Oreos.

Not gonna lie, since I couldn't fit everyone's names on the cake and was writing the initals I felt like I was in grade school D+B= love

Happy Anniversary Karl and Mollie, Jordan and Stephanie, and to my husband Dave.

Can't wait to celebrate every year for the next 60+ years!!

Peppermint Patties

Just like a York Peppermint Patty!

These were actually easier to make then I thought they would be and really didn't take that long either, maybe an hour and that's with the freezer time. The dough comes together really fast then you just have to make into balls , flatten and put in the freezer. As soon as I filled on baking sheet I put into the freezer and started to fill another sheet. I filled three. Then while they are in the freezer I brought the water for the double broiler to a simmer and melted the chocolate, then took out each baking sheet one at time to coat. It was an easy and fast process. The recipe says it makes 32, but I got at least 50!! The only thing I did wrong is I used mint extract as I couldn't find peppermint at the store but they were still really good and I know even better if the correct extract is used :)

Peppermint Patties

• 1 can of condensed milk


• 5 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted


• 1 Tbsp peppermint extract


• 3 cups semisweet chocolate chips


• 3 Tbsp shortening

Directions:

Add condensed milk , 2 cups pf powdered sugar, and peppermint extract to a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium speed using the paddle attachment until all the ingredients are well incorporated. Add more powdered sugar a half cup at a time, until the dough is pliable like firm modeling clay.

Roll 3/4" balls of dough between palms of the hands. Press each ball down slowly and set the flattened disk on a flat cutting board or plate (or baking sheet covered with parchment paper). Transfer peppermint disks to the freezer for no longer than 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, temper the chocolate coating.

You can do this two ways in the microwave or on the stove. For the microwave, place chocolate chips in a microwavable bowl and melt chocolate in 30 second increments, making sure to stir after each time until chocolate is smooth. For the stove (which I prefer), place chocolate chips in a glass bowl and place over pan with simmering water careful that the water does NOT touch the bottom of the bowl, stir occasionally until chocolate is melted. Stir in shortening to thin the chocolate.

Remove patties from the freezer. Place a patty on the tongs of a fork and dip in the chocolate until completely covered. Allow excess chocolate to drip off the patty before setting each one on top of wax or parchment paper. Allow the chocolate coated peppermint patties to completely set up. This can be done quicker by placing the patties in the refrigerator. The peppermint patties are ready when they are dry to the touch. Enjoy!

Chocolate + Mint

You know how I love things semi-homemade....this is a great recipe to add to the list. As there's not a whole lot you have to add to the brownie box mix! Plus chocolate and mint go great together. I made these for our St. Patty's Day celebration at work.

Okay so I stole the picture, mine didn't turn out this beautiful looking but they were still delicious :)

Mint-Chocolate Brownies
Source: Betty Crocker


Brownies

• 1 box Supreme Premium brownie mix
• water, oil, and oil called for on brownie mix box
• 1 cup mint-flavored chocolate chips
• 2/3 cup chopped pecans, optional

Mint Frosting

• 1 cup vanilla frosting (from 16oz container)
• 1/4 tsp mint extract
• green food coloring, if desired

Chocolate Glaze

• reserved mint-flavored chocolate ships
• 4 tsp butter
• 4 tsp corn syrup
• 1-2 tsp hot water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350F degrees. Grease bottom of 9-inch square pan (I used a 9x13). make brownie batter as directed on box, stir in pecans and 2/3 cups of the mint chocolate chips, reserve remaining chocolate chips for glaze. Spread batter in pan.


2. Bake as directed on box mix, depending what size pan you use. Cool completely, about 1 1/2 hours.


3. In a small bowl, stir frosting ingredients using spoon until well blended (I used the entire can of frosting since I used a bigger pan). Spread frosting over brownies.


4. In 1-quart saucepan, heat Glaze ingredients over low heat, stirring occasionally, until melted. Stir in hot water, a few drops at a time, until mixture is then enough to drizzle. Let cool about 5-10 minutes to thicken up a bit. Drizzle over frosted brownies. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until glaze is firm. Cut and serve!

A Valentines Brunch

Looking for the perfect Valentines Brunch to make for your special someone?

Look no further because I found it! I don't remember where I found this recipe last year (I think from Food Network) but I made these little pieces of heaven last Valentines Day. I wasn't a huge fan of crepes prior to this but made it because my husband loves them and I've yet to come across anything that includes chocolate and fruit that I don't like. The chocolate crepes paired with the sweet filling and fruity sauce made me fall in love them! I swear this was the best breakfast I've ever made, swear :)

If making this for just 2 I would recommend halving the recipe as I learned it makes a lot!

Chocolate Crepes with Fresh Strawberries

Makes about 14-16 crepes

For Crepes:

• 1 1/2 cups four
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 6 Tbsp confectioner' sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 2 cups milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Combine the flour, cocoa powder, sugar and salt in a medium mixing bowl. In a large size mixing bowl, combine butter, milk, eggs, vanilla, and oil and whisk until blended. Add the dry mixture a little at a time to the liquid mixture, whisking until smooth. Refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.

Heat a skillet over medium heat. When pan is hot spray with oil, remove from hear and pour about 1/4 cup of the batter into the pan. Swirl the pan around to spread the batter evenly over the bottom of the pan. Return the pan to the heat and cook until lightly golden, 30-40 seconds. Turn the crepe over and cook the other side for about 15 seconds. Remove from pan. Repeat the process until all the batter is used.

For Filling:

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1/2 cup pureed fresh strawberries
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  

In a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in sour cream, sugar, strawberries, and vanilla. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Put 2-3 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the crepe. Fold the bottom of the crepe up over the filling and then fold in both sides. Place onto a plate and drizzle with sauce.

For Sauce:

• 1/2 stick butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 cups berried chopped (I pureed fruit for the sauce also)
  

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt butter. Add the sugar and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes. Add the berries and continue cooking for about 1 minute. Drizzle sauce over crepes and serve.