Stuffed Peppers/A Pinterest Success Story
If you’re anything like me, you’ve re-pinned a bunch of cool things to do on Pinterest and hope for the best when you finally give them a try. Sometimes they work (Ikea lamp hack and the baking sheet cleaner) and sometimes they don’t (wine cork art, also known as the hot glue gun incident of 2013).
Fortunately, I have another Pinterest success story!
This one is simple–when making stuffed peppers, place them in a jumbo muffin tin so they don’t tip over while baking.
Brilliant, right?
Kit Kat Cake
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Cake decorating has never been my strong suit. In fact, I really suck at it. Following my trip to the Wilton Food Blogger Workshop a couple of years ago, I became more confident with the piping bag, but trust me when I say that you don’t want me decorating a birthday cake for you anytime soon. And yes, this is why the only kinds of cakes you usually see on this blog are cupcakes or bundt cakes; they’re so much easier to decorate!
However, I’ve been seeing this Kit Kat cake online for years and immediately thought this was something I could do. So for those of you lacking in the cake decorating skills department like me, this is the cake for you! Added bonus: Everyone thinks it looks so cool and colorful, and with National Cake Day coming up later this month (November 26), you now have an excuse to make it!
Because I wasn’t sure how this would turn out, I initially made it using *gasp* cake mix and canned frosting, but you can use your favorite cake and frosting recipes instead. I recommend using chocolate frosting as it will be less noticeable in the gaps between the Kit Kats.
Ingredients
Two 8″ or 9″ cakes, any flavor
Frosting
12.60 ounce bag of M&Ms (or any candy you want to top it with)
11-12 full size (not snack size) packages Kit Kats)
Preparation
Using a cake leveler or serrated knife, level cakes so the tops are no longer domed. (If you are using a serrated knife, it helps to freeze the cake first.)
Separate each Kit Kat so you have sections of two Kit Kats. (I put them in the fridge first so they wouldn’t melt while I was handling them.)
Frost the top of one cake, then place the second cake on top of it. Frost the top of the second cake and the sides of the stacked cakes.
Place the Kit Kats around the frosted cake, as close together as possible.
You can also tie a ribbon around the cake to keep the Kit Kats from moving. Pour the M&Ms on the top of the cake. Slice and serve!
Chocolate-Speckled Salted Shortbread
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I know, you’re probably thinking, another sweet and salty recipe? It’s fine, you can call me obsessed, I’ll own it. The combination just works!
These are great cookies–easy to make, easy to cut, and just the right chewy texture on the inside. While the original recipe calls for cutting the dough into 1″x2″ strips, I couldn’t resist using one of my cookie cutters that hasn’t seen the light of day lately. Plus, they’re fun!
Ingredients
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 & 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 ounces dark chocolate, very finely chopped
1 tablespoon water, if necessary
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, such as fleur de sel
Preparation
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
Reduce mixer speed to low. Add flour and salt, mixing just until combined. Stir in chocolate.
Dough will be crumbly but should hold together when pinched. If dough is not holding together, mix in 1 tablespoon water.
Form dough into 2 balls and flatten into discs. Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 325°. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out 1 disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into 1″x 2″ strips. Carefully transfer cookies to prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
Bake 18-22 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned. Cool on pans for 10 minutes. Then, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Repeat rolling and baking process with other disc of dough.
Recipe from Bake or Break.
Sugar Cookie Bars
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I love sugar cookies, but rolling out, cutting dough, and decorating individual cookies can be time consuming and messy. Behold–sugar cookie bars! Since they’re baked in a 9×13 baking dish, all you have to do is press the dough down, bake, and frost. Easy peasy, plus there are no special ingredients so no extra trip the grocery store needed!
These cookies are buttery, soft, and chewy, just how sugar cookies should be. If you’re looking for a quick and delicious sugar cookie, give this recipe a try.
Ingredients
Bars
3/4 cup butter (1 1/2 sticks), softened to cool room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest (optional)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Frosting
6 tablespoons butter, softened
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Sprinkles (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest, flour, baking powder and salt. Mix until combined.
Lightly grease a 9X13-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Press and/or spread the sugar cookie mixture gently into an even layer into the bottom of the pan.
Bake for 10-13 minutes. The bars shouldn’t have any color around the edges and barely be set in the middle. Let the bars cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting, cream together the butter and powdered sugar until smooth (if the mixture has trouble coming together, add a drop or two of milk). Add in the vanilla and mix. Add the milk or cream and mix until the frosting is light and fluffy. Add food coloring, if desired.
Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.
Halloween Recipes
Monster Cupcakes (Chocolate Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting)
And for even more recipes, check out Brown Eyed Baker.
