{Valentines Day Goodies}

This week my roommate made the BEST Valentines Day treat.  I’m sure most of you have had these before, but I’ve been missing out.  There are many versions of this treat, but she used pink & red M&Ms in preparation of LOVE month!

You Will Need::

Rollos

M&Ms

Pretzels

How to::

1. Place pretzels on a cookie sheet.

2. Unwrap and place 1 Rollo on a pretzel

3. Place cookie sheet in the over on 350 for 3 mins.

4. Take out of the oven & place 1 M&M on each pretzel

5. Let cool & enjoy !

Here are a few more yummy Valentines Day ideas::

{via}

{Pink Meringue Cupcakes}

A few adorable Valentines Day decor ideas::

{via}

{English Toffee}

You Will Need::

Candy thermometer

1 cup sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp.salt

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. milk chocolate

4 oz. sweet cooking chocolate or white chocolate

1/2 cup walnuts or pecans

How To::

Part 1

1. Butter 10 x 15 in baking sheet.

2. Combine sugar, butter, water & salt in heavy saucepan.

3. Place over med-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved.

4. Continue boiling, shaking pan occasionally until candy thermometer registers 305 degrees.

5. Remove from heat & stir in vanilla.

6. Pour onto 10×15 buttered baking sheet& let stand until cool & hardened.

Part 2

1. Melt 2 oz. of each chocolate in a smaller pan & spread it on top.

2. Immediately spread chopped nuts on top of the chocolate before it cools.

3. Allow to cool for 30 mins & repeat on the other side of the toffee.

{Cashew Bark}

Last week I started sharing a few of my favorite holiday treats (here) & this one, might be at the top of the list!

PS.  It’s SO easy!

You’ll Need::

Milk Chocolate {my mom recommends Merkens brand}

1 can of cashews

How to::

1. Place your chocolate in a mixing bowl {make sure the bowl will sit nicely on the top of a pot}

2. Fill a pot with 3-4 cups of water and bring it to a low boil.

3. Place your mixing bowl on top of the pot and stir the chocolate as it melts

4. Once it’s completely melted, mix in your cashews

5. Pour out the chocolate onto a cookie sheet {make sure you line it with wax paper} & allow the chocolate to cool

6. Break up your bark & Ta-Da!!

ENJOY!

 

{peanut brittle}

Holiday candies have been a tradition at my house for as long as I can remember.  This Christmas, while I was home, I raided my mom’s recipe box for all of my favorites.  Over the next few weeks, I will share the recipes with you!  Enjoy.

You Will Need::

1 cup sugar

1 cup salted peanuts

1/2 cup white corn syrup

1 teaspoon butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

How To::

1. On 1 1/2 qt. casserole, stir together sugar & syrup and microwave on high for 4 mins.

2. Stir in peanuts and microwave on high 3-5 mins (until light brown)

3. Add butter & vanilla, blend well- microwave on high 1-2 mins (peanuts will be lighlty brown and syrup will be very hot)

4. Add baking soda and gently stir until light & foamy

5. Quickly pour onto lightly greased cookie sheet

6. Cool for a half hour & break into small pieces for serving

{Ginger-Snaps}

The ultimate Christmas cookie…a homemade ginger-snap!  What’s not to love about them?!  They smell wonderful, taste like “Christmas in a cookie” & are perfect to add with a warm cup of coffee.

Ingredients

• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup shortening
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar

 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a mixing bowl. Stir the mixture to blend evenly, and sift a second time into another bowl.
3. Place the shortening into a mixing bowl and beat until creamy. Gradually beat in the white sugar. Beat in the egg, and dark molasses. Sift 1/3 of the flour mixture into the shortening mixture; stir to thoroughly blend. Sift in the remaining flour mixture, and mix together until a soft dough forms. Pinch off small amounts of dough and roll into 1 inch diameter balls between your hands. Roll each ball in cinnamon sugar, and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
4. Bake in preheated oven until the tops are rounded and slightly cracked, about 10 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Store in an air tight container.

ENJOY!

{Homemade Pickles}

“I got a pickle…I got a pickle…I got a pickle hey, hey, hey, hey”

Whenever I hear the word “pickle“..I honestly sing that song in my head..{lol} Weird, I know.  Over Thanksgiving my mom shared her homemade sweet pickle recipe with me.   They are SO good and would make a great addition to the pickle/olive platter at your holiday parties.

Ingredient

10 med. cucumbers
3 med. sweet onions
4 c. white vinegar
3 c. sugar
112 c. Kosher salt
2112 tsp. tumeric
1 tsp. mustard seeds

Directions

1. Wash cucumbers; slice them, put unpeeled cucumbers into a gallon
glass jar.

2. Put onion slices every few layers, Mix vinegar, sugar, salt and
spices together and pour over cucumbers.

3. Let stand in refrigerator for 24 hours before eating.

4. Stir once in awhile.

5. Will keep indefinitely in refrigerator.

{Oreo Balls}

Last week, my roommates decided it would be a “good” idea to make a very tempting treat:: Oreo Balls.  These small little dessert can be VERrrry dangerous! {lol}  I’d never had an oreo ball before, but they are amazing, and SO easy to make.  You could also be very creative with them and switch up the toppers.  Great for a holiday party!

Ingredients:

1 package Oreos (not Double Stuff)
1 8-oz package cream cheese
1 package milk or white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Put cookies into large bowl. Add cream cheese to bowl and cream together.

2. Put the remaining cookies into a plastic zip-lock bag and seal. Use a rolling pin to finely crush.

3. Add the finely crushed cookies to the creamed mixture and stir.

4. Roll into 1-inch balls and chill (important!).

5. When the cookie balls are chilled, melt the chocolate chips.

6. Dip cookie balls into the melted chocolate and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.

7. Let set and eat.

Optional things to try:

• Drizzle melted white almond bark on top
• Sprinkle crushed peppermint candy on top immediately after coating with melted chocolate
• Use mint Oreos
• Add Sprinkles on top immediately after coating with melted chocolate

{Take a second and check out the interview done about me & my blog by Rachel Ashley from Fashionably Living {here}. Thanks again girl. XO}

{Pecan Gooey Cake}

The word Holiday…to me, means time with family & friends, great food & amazing desserts I would never eat; except at the HOLIDAYS!

Here is another great family dessert.  It’s so simple & will be a party hit!

***note:: if you’re thinking pecan pie…STOP! It’s nothing like it. So much better!

Makes 24 servings
Prep: 10 minutes.
Bake: at 325 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.

Ingredients
1 package (1-8.25 ounces) plain yellow cake mix
1/2 cup (1- stick) butter, melted
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups light corn syrup
1/2 cup firmly packed dark-brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees.

2. Place cake mix, melted butter and 1 egg in large bowl.  Beat on low speed until well combined, about 30 seconds.  Measure out 2/3 cup batter; set aside.  Spread remaining batter in bottom of ungreased 13 x 2 x 2in baking dish.  {I substituted and used a square cupcake dish for the perfect bite size squares}

3. Bake in 325 degree oven for 15 minutes or until top lightly browns and puffs up.  Remove dish and let cool for 10 minutes.  Leave oven on.

4. Place reserved 2/3 cup batter, corn syrup, sugar, remaining 3 eggs and vanilla in large bowl.  Beat on low speed for 1 minute. Stop machine; scrape down bowl and beat on medium speed until well combine (about 1 minute).  Fold in pecans.  Pour pecan mixture on top of warm cake in baking dish, gently smooth out evenly over cake.

5. Bake in 325 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until edges are browned but middle is still soft. Remove and let cool  for about 30 minutes.

6. Slice & Serve with vanilla ice cream, if desired

{Pumpkin Gooey Cake}

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This is one of my all time favorite Thanksgiving desserts my mom’s been making for years.  Pumpkin Gooey Cake is creamy & buttery, and has taken the place of our pumpkin pie.  It’s SO delicious, you must try it!

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

 To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

{Serve with fresh whipped cream}

{Oreo-Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies}

As far as cookies go, there is nothing better than a warm, right out of the oven, homemade chocolate chip cookie.  Well, that’s what I thought until I made these!  There is officially nothing better than the combination of a chocolate chip cookie & and oreo all in one bite.  Saturday morning my good friend Tabatha came over so we could start our “Southern Living cooking class 101”.  We choose this recipe, first of all because they looked heavenly, but secondly they are very easy to make.  You must try these, they will make a great holiday dessert & you will blow everyone away with the genius idea!

I am very proud to announce the winner from last weeks Elegantees giveaway::

Congrats Brandy!!  So glad I get to share this awesome gift from Elegantees with you.  Remember ladies, you can still help support Elegantees & use the discount code “Simplicity15” thru November 30th for an extra 15% off your order. XO