Tag Archive | Baking

Thankful Thursday 2021 Week 2/52

Jan7

Wanna know what a good “resolution” is for 2021?!?! Supporting local and small businesses!

If you’re local and want to have the best sourdough and the best scones I’ve ever tasted check out Sweet little bake shop on Instagram! The double chocolate scones are what chocolate dreams are made of!!! Pure bliss!!

I’m very thankful for the online friendships and support I’ve found in other Mom’s and I love supporting them when we can! The above photos are our order from Sweet little bake shop yesterday and were absolutely delicious!

It’s hard not to be thankful with a paw full of chocolate deliciousness!

Peanut Butter Cup Cookie “Hack”

Jan6

Before Christmas there was a “recipe” hack floating around Facebook and Instagram to make these peanut butter cup cookies! So tonight Jacob and I gave them a go!!

These are so easy! You need a Betty Crocker peanut butter cookie mix, mini resse cups, Pam, veggie oil and water.

Simply follow directions on the cookie package, spray mini muffin tin, divide dough into 12 even balls in the muffin tins, press in peanut butter cup.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes and allow to cool in tin for 5-10 minutes before removing.

Pros-Super easy! My 5 year old could 100% prep these himself.
-Quick
-Fun for the kids! All three gave them 2 thumbs up!

Cons-If you’re a home baker you’re not going to love the pb cookie mix! I’ll 100% recreate this with my homemade cookie recipe!
-Hard to remove from pan. I sprayed the tin but definitely would suggested a hearty spray!

Another friend says she makes these with the pre made Pillsbury chocolate chip cookie dough! These would be a great rainy day activity with the kids!

Thankful Thursday Week 51/52

Dec17

It’s been a tough week. I’m fighting to keep my Christmas spirit despite all of the restrictions and stuff!

I did however find some spirit while making a gingerbread house with Jacob and decorating sugar cookies together!!

I’m so thankful for these little moments with him ❤️

Gingerbread Sprinkle Cookie Bites

Nov24

It’s been a hot minute since I shared a recipe but these cookies are too fun to not share!! They are soft, festive and chewy and everything that a Christmas cookie should be!

INGREDIENTS

• 3/4 cup butter, room temperature

• 3/4 cups brown sugar

• 1 egg

• 1/4 cup milk

• 3/4 cup molasses

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon ground ginger

• 1/4 teaspoon allspice

• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup sprinkles

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and brown sugar for 2 minutes. Add the egg and milk and beat to combine. Add the molasses and beat until fully combined. Set aside.

2. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and salt.

3. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until no dry patches remain.

4. Cover with plastic wrap and place dough in the fridge for at least 1 hour but I usually leave mine 24 hours

5. Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking trays with parchment paper.

6. Add Christmas sprinkles to a shallow bowl.

7. Use a small cookie scoop to portion the dough into even balls of dough.

8. Roll the dough in the Christmas sprinkles and place on the prepared baking trays, at least 2” apart.

9. Bake in matches for 10 minutes and cool on rack

Thankful Thursday Week 32/52

Aug6

Hey friends! It’s been a pretty quiet week around here. It’s sometimes weird to think it’s been 5 months of this pandemic. 5 months of restrictions, sanitizing, and wondering what’s next!

I can’t help but be thankful on a daily basis that I’m blessed enough to be at home through all this. I don’t know how I’d be handling it all if I was on the front lines nursing patients through this. Actually I do know! I’d get up every day and do my job and be and tightly wound ball of stress.

It’s so easy to get tangled up in feeling blah with the whole situation but I’m making a strategic effort to see the good in all this!! My family is at home, safe, comfortable, healthy, together! Sure everyday life isn’t as simple as it used to be but it sure could be worse!! And I’m truly thankful it’s not worse!

Thankful Thursday Week 12/52

Mar19

What a week! Are you guys okay out there? This week has been one of the longest weeks of any of our lives. The emotional roller coaster, the information overload, the fear, the unknown.

I don’t have a lot of advice to offer except love each other hard and do your best to help keep other safe.

Take time to breathe. Step away from social media. Find safe ways to distract from the situation at hand. Bake a cake, try a new recipe, read a book, dance! Anything that will make you smile!

This week I’m thankful for lots! I’m thankful for everyone who is taking this seriously. I’m thankful my family is currently healthy. I’m thankful I can bury my face in my husbands beard and in Jacob’s little neck and breathe in their smells and feel love.

I’m thankful for cheerful flowers and that Mother Nature has blessed us with a week of sunshine so we can at least play in the backyard to break up the day! I’m thankful for cupcakes and coffee. I’m thankful for phone calls with friends and daily text check in’s.

I’m thankful I can find something to be thankful for!

We are all in this together.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Easy Like Sunday Morning…

Sep9

Easy my ass! I’ve been laying here awake since 5:30 am (it’s now 7:18am) and I’m yet to get up because I don’t want to wake up Jacob! We can’t have another early morning for him because early mornings lead to ridiculously cranky afternoon and meltdown evenings! So for now I lay here and be thankful for my phone and the internet! The past few days have been tough because Jacob and I have both had a cold. It never fails that I get afflicted with sickness in early September. I took Friday off work and spent the day in my pj’s. It was a much needed day of rest. Saturday was much the same but we did venture to get groceries and got some fresh air out on our patio briefly. I feel like this time of year is my planning time. Planning the rest of the year! Thanksgiving, Halloween, Christmas, etc. I love Fall. The colours, the crisp leaves, the leggings, hoodies, boots! The pumpkins, the food! Speaking of food! Jacob and I baked this lovely banana bread yesterday morning. The recipe can be found HERE. He absolutely loves baking! He asks every weekend if we can bake! He loves to share his (our) creations. Yesterday he took half the banana bread to Grandma and Grandpa and shared the rest with his cousins. He pretty much melts my heart daily. Well my friends I’m going to be brave and attempt to sneak out of bed (only because I really have to pee). Stick around this week as I’m planning on sharing/reviewing some new Epicure products as well hopefully sharing a post on the CSA box we’ve been getting all summer!

Peppermint Matcha Hot Chocolate Brownies! 

Mar1

I was asked to create a treat for our Epicure team meeting tonight using this months customer special, Epicure’s delicious Peppermint matcha hot chocolate!!  This is what I created… 

 These brownies are chocolatey, chewy, and have a hint of mint!! I always feel like St. Patrick’s day is the perfect time for mint/chocolate treats! I’m sure Leprechauns love mint!  Anyways,  I made these brownies in Epicure’s Perfect petites pan but you could do them in a traditional pan if you don’t have the Perfect petites. If you ask me everyone should get the Perfect petites pan because it’s perfect for making adorable mini treats!!!  On to the recipe!  

Ingredients  

 

  • 1 cup butter – melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons egg whites (or an extra egg)
  • 2 tsp vanilla 
  • 1 cup sugar 
  • 1 cup flour 
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup Epicure’s peppermint matcha hot chocolate mix (dry)
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips (mint chocolate for a more minty taste)

Method

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees 
  • In a mixing bowl combine melted butter, sugar, eggs, egg whites, and vanilla  
  • In a second bowl whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. 
  • Combine dry and wet ingredients and stir until just combined.  
  • Gently fold in hot chocolate mix and chocolate chips.    
  • Place petites pan on a cookie sheet. Using a basting brush lightly grease Perfect petites pan.  
  • Divide batter evenly     
  • Bake for 22-25 minutes until tooth pick inserted in centre comes out clean.   
  • Remove from pan and allow to cool on rack.   
  • Enjoy!    

Gingerbread Cupcakes 

Nov29

I love this time of year! Christmas time is so magical! This year even more so for me thanks to Jacob! Im looking forward to all things Christmas. Next week one of my best friends is hosting a Christmas party and requested I bring gingerbread cupcakes. Not wanting to disappoint I did my research, combined and tweaked some recipes and came up with these moist, delicious cupcakes featuring Epicure’s gingerbread spice! 

  
INGREDIENTS 

  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar 
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/2 molasses 
  • 1 egg
  • 1 1/3 cups white flour
  • 1 teaspoon real vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 
  • Pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoons Epicure Gingerbread spice 

*Allow milk, butter, and egg to come to room temperature before beginning  

 

METHOD 

Cream butter and sugar together in mixer.  Add in egg, milk and vanilla.  

 

Add in molasses. Mixture will look chunky.  

 In a small bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and Epicure gingerbread spice.

With mixer running at low speed add dry ingredient mixture to wet. Once added mix throughly on med/high speed for 30 seconds. Use a spatula to scrape down sides and mix for another 10 seconds.  

 Fill 12 paper lined muffin tins 2/3 full.

 
Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven – 350 degrees.  

 Allow to cool on wire rack before frosting. 

I frosted mine with cream cheese frosting and used a tiny fresh baked gingerbread man to decorate! 

 I hope you enjoy these as much as my friends do! ❤️🎄❤️

  

Pumpkin Spice Cookies With Maple Frosting

Sep13

It’s almost the middle of September!  Pumpkin season is in full swing!!! I decided today was a good day for some Fall inspired baking!  These cookies are pillowy soft and delicious but the maple frosting is the show stopper!  

 
Ingredients  1 cup canned pumpkin 

1/3 cup sugar 

1/2 cup oil

1 egg

1/2 tablespoon instant coffee

1 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp pumpkin spice liquid flavouring (optional)

2 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder 

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice 

Method

Combine pumpkin, egg, oil, sugar, vanilla, and, instant coffee, liquid pumpkin flavouring in medium bowl.  

Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin spice in another bowl. 

 Stir wet ingredients together and use a fork or whisk to combine dry ingredients. 

 Combine wet and dry ingredients, stiring just to combine.  

 Drop by spoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 13 minutes.  

 Remove from oven and allow to fully cool before frosting. 

 To make the maple cream frosting simply combine the following ingredients. 

 1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup light cream cheese

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla coffee creamer

1 teaspoon maple extract

I used my immersion hand blender outside on the patio but if you don’t have a sleeping baby just toss them in a mixer!  

 Frost cookies and enjoy!

Note: This is the liquid pumpkin spice flavouring I used.  It’s available at baking stores, online and micheals crafts.