ALSO's Cakes, Pastries and More: October 2012

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

2012 Halloween Light Show - Gangnam Style

This is way awesome! LOL

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Snow Day!! Recipes included

There was no power at work today so I had a "snow day" =)

I was up at 530 for work, got dressed and made PB&J to take- then got the call.

I watched the Hurricane reports, watched some shows on the DVR, made some tea and breakfast burritos, yum.

Then I went thru my Yarn and added anything new to Ravelry then picked out a few projects in my queue to work on.

Then I felt the urge to bake- and you know it's never just one cookie when I get to going...

So as I type this I am also getting my It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown & Garfield Halloween on.

It's not Halloween without 'em!

Even though Halloween was moved to Saturday in Cleveland and Sunday in other surrounding areas.

Clockwise from top right:

Nutella Cookies (24 cookies) -Lori gave me this recipe she found on Pinterest

Chocolate Chip Cookies using Swirled Semi Sweet-White Chocolate chips (60 cookies)

Andes Creme de Menthe chunk cookies (60 cookies)

Italian Christmas Cookies (105 cookies)

I then dipped the Italian Cookies in chocolate as usual

I texted a pic of the cookies to Arleen who said I should go out in this junky weather and bring her some. (even though I am taking some to work tomorrow lol)

And I sent her this in response:

I'm thinking not- LOL

I told her good things come tho those who wait...

Nutella Cookies:

Ingredients:

1 cup Nutella
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend all ingedients together well. Form into 1-inch balls. Place on cookie sheet. Press down firmly with bottom of floured glass. Bake 7-8 minutes or until set. Cool.

****DO NOT OVER BAKE....

NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® SWIRLED™ Semi-Sweet Chocolate & Premier White Morsel Cookies

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 2/3 cups (10-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® SWIRLED™ Semi-Sweet & Premier White Morsels, divided
1 cup chopped nuts *

Directions

PREHEAT oven to 350° F.

COMBINE flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1 cup morsels and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased baking sheets. Top dollops withremaining morsels.

BAKE for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets on wire racks for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.

PAN COOKIE VARIATION:
Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan. Prepare dough as above, stirring in 1 cup morsels. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining morsels.Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool in pan on wire rack. Makes 4 dozen bars.

* NOTE: If omitting nuts, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour.

Andes Crème de Menthe Cookies:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup salted butter - softened
3/4 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white granulated sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 package (10 oz.) Andes® Crème de Menthe Baking Chips or 2 packages 4.67 oz Andes Crème de Menthe or Toffee Crunch Thins, chopped.
2-2/3 cups sifted all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Blend butter, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla and eggs until mixed.

Stir in Andes Baking Chips and then flour. Chill approximately one hour in the refrigerator.

Measure out approximately 1 oz. of dough. Form a ball and slightly flatten.

Raise oven rack one level above the middle and bake on non-stick baking pans.

Bake at 350° F for approximately 8 - 10 minutes.

Cool on pans for two minutes before removing.

Yield:

4 dozen cookies.

Halloween Meat Pies- Pumpkin Heads! 10/24/12 with recipe

It's Halloween time! That can only mean one thing....

PUMPKIN HEADS!!!!!!!

Click here for 2011 post

This recipe came from Taste of Home, called Trick or Treat Turnovers

I first get out all of my ingredients.

I grate up carrot and onion for veg without chunks.

Fry some meat, season to taste.

I used Salt, onion and garlic powder and Worcestershire sauce.

Once the meat cooks up a bit, add the carrots, onion and I also added minced garlic.

Once there is no more pink add your cheese and mustard.

I can't say I have measurements really...

I used 2 lbs beef, 1 large carrot, 1 medium onion, maybe a tablespoon of minced garlic, sprinkled the seasoning then a handful of cheese- adjust to however you like to flavor your meat =)

You can probably even use a taco seasoning mix.

Then get some jumbo refrigerated biscuits- I used flaky this time and it was a mess

because as I rolled the dough out...the dough kept flaking off haha.

I rolled them out so they were 5-6 inches in diameter.

Spoon about 1/2 cup of meat then add the top rolled out biscuit.

I cut pumpkin faces out for mine...Oh and I attempted (and kinda failed) at cutting out our NASCAR drivers numbers....it's supposed to be an 18, 14 and 48.... The 18 and 14 aren't too bad but the 48 needs some work...heehee

Bake on a greased pan @ 350* for 20 mins

I brushed the tops with an egg wash prior to inserting in the oven.