Carmel Rolls!

Ok this is our favorite!

1 c. chopped pecans (I use half a cup)

20 Rhodes frozen rolls (let them thaw a little then use scissors to cut)

1 pkg regular butterscotch pudding (not instant! this makes all the difference)

½ cup margarine

½ cup brown sugar

Grease bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans on bottom then rolls (cut in half if possible). * Melt butter and add sugar and pudding. Pour over the rolls. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

(*you can, instead, pour the pudding powder on top of the rolls then pour butter/sugar mixture on top, this is how my mother-in-law does it and she gave me this recipe) Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Squares (Am's Recipe)

2c All Purpose Flour

*1 TB Pumpkin Pie Spice

1 tsp Baking Soda

3/4 tsp Salt

1c Unsalted Butter (room temp)

1 1/4c Sugar

1 egg

2 tsp Vanilla

1c canned pumpkin puree

1 pkg (12 oz) Chocolate Chips

*if you don't have Pumpkin Pie Spice:

1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon

3/4 tsp Ginger

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/8 allspice

1/8 cloves

(all ground)

Preheat oven 350'

Grease 9x13" pan line w foil

in med bowl whisk together first 4 ingredients (set aside)

cream together butter and sugar until smooth

beat in egg and vanilla until combined

beat in pumpkin puree (may appear curdled)

reduce speed to low and mix in dry ingredients until just combined.

Fold in Chocolate chips

Pour mixture into pan

Bake 350' 30-40 mins

Cool completely in pan!!

makes 24

Fried Ice Cream

I like to think that I can just randomly make things taste good regardless of how much of something I am supposed to add. Kind of dumb, but usually my results are pretty good anyway. The problem is I don't know how to recreate these inventions on a foodie blog.

This recipe was stolen from my friend Molly. Its good. I didn't pay attention to measurements-- but its dessert, people! Just add however much tastes delicious!

All you need is:
either Frosted Flakes or Corn Flakes
Cinnamon
Sugar
Vanilla Ice Cream (I guess you can actually do whatever you want, but its good with vanilla, especially with the chocolate sauce I will post next!)

sprinkle in plenty of cinnamon and sugar and toss in a bunch of Corn/Frosted Flakes in a medium mixing bowl. Mix and smash so the pieces of cereal are little and broken.

(get ready to get messy!) Take about a cup of Ice Cream (use a scoop, spoon, whatever, but your hands are going to get nasty anyway so you might as well use those-- and please make sure they are clean!) and mold it into a ball with your hands. Toss it into the cinnamon/sugar/cereal bowl and cover with yummy crunchy little flakes. Set on a piece of parchment/foil/Tupperware (anything you have will pretty much work, it doesn't really stick)
in the freezer until all the way frozen through again (about an hour).
6 people for dessert? Make 6 balls. Easy.

And I LOVE my new Anthro bowls-- they are the perfect size for this. Can't wait to have guests over to serve it in them (read: come over so I can make this again right now!!)
Enjoy!

Don't Be Appalled...

You'll love it--but you're not going to like it! Just ignore how many ridiculous ingredients you're putting in, and keep in mind it tastes so amazing because of what you're tossing in the pot. Plus this makes so much you'll make it once and have leftovers in your freezer for the next 27 years.

Chocolate Sauce
(perfect for over the fried ice cream, as fondue for girls night, or just with a spoon! Ha)

Melt Together:

12 oz bag of chocolate chips (I like the good stuff: Ghirardelli--but use whichever you like, and I would do a double boil so I don't burn the chocolate)

1 c margarine

add alternately:

2 2/3 cup evaporated milk (although we used sweetened condensed milk on accident-- still good!)

1 lb powdered sugar

Add:

2 tsp vanilla

1 (7oz) jar marshmallow creme

Bring all ingredients to a boil; stir constantly for about 5 minutes. Makes a ton. Lasts for about 3 to 4 weeks in refrigerator and freezes well.

I drizzle about 1 or 2 tablespoons of the stuff over the fried ice cream. YUM!

Chocolate White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Recipe Courtesy of The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten



Recipe goes like this:

2 sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 extra-large eggs at room temperature
2/3 cup good unsweetened cocoa powder(I like dark chocolate)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 pounds good white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and two sugar until light and fluffy in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the vanilla, then the eggs, one at a time, and mix well. Add the cocoa and mix again. Sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt and add to the chocolate with the mixer on low speed until just combined. Fold in the white chocolate chips.

Drop the dough on a baking sheet, covered in parchment paper, in rounded scoops. Dampen your hands and flatten the dough slightly. Bake for exactly 15 minutes (the cookies will seem underdone). Remove from the oven and let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

My advice on this one:
Follow the recipe exactly as it says. Unsalted butter, room temp. items and all. The details really do make the difference.

Magnolia Bakery Cupcakes :)

These are the best cupcakes of life! The Magnolia Bakery is one place I insist on visiting whenever I find myself in New York. I highly recommend the bakery in New York and if you can't get there, make these at home in the mean time.

The cupcake:
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
4 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with cupcake papers.

In a small bowl, combine the flours. Set aside.

In a large bowl, on the medium speed of an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth. Add the sugar gradually and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, on at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with the milk and vanilla. With each addition, beat until the ingredients are incorporated but do not over beat. Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the batter in the bowl to make sure the ingredients are well blended. Carefully spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling them about three-quarters full. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

Cool the cupcakes in the tins for 15 minutes. Remove from the tins and cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

Makes about 2 dozen cupcakes (depending on the size of your cupcake papers and muffin tins).

The icing:
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
6-8 cups confectioners' (powdered) sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Add 4 cups of the sugar and then the milk and vanilla. On medium speed of an electric mixer, beat until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes. Gradually add the remaining sugar, 1 cup at a time, beating well after each addition (about 2 minutes), until the icing is thick enough to be of good spreading consistency. You may not need to add all of the sugar. If desired, add a few drops of food coloring and mix thoroughly. (Use and store the icing at room temperature because icing will set of chilled.) Icing can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Makes enough for 2 dozen cupcakes.

My advice: Always follow the recipes instructions when it says "at room temp." or "softened" or "don't over beat" and the like. These little details are what make the recipe better than the rest. That and the butter...