Basketball Cuppies (Chocolate chip caramel)

My preschooler’s friend had his 5^th birthday party on Sunday and I wanted to make cupcakes for him… The party is at the coolest venue space for boys (& girls & moms & dads, lol)- the Brooklyn Nets Practice Facilities. We got to play basketball, etc. with the actual equpment the big guys use- so fun! With a basketball theme, I wanted to slam dunk with basketball cuppies.

The flavoring I went with was chocolate chip cupcakes with caramel frosting… To make the basketball look, I used black licorice lace (an acquired taste I have not acquired, ha ha!)

Mini Vanilla~Mini Chocolate Chip Cupcakes 

with Caramel Frosting

from Gourmet January 2004

1 c a-p flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1/3 c whole milk

1/2 tsp vanilla

6 TBSp unsalted butter, softened

1/2 c plus 1 tablespoon sugar

1 large egg

1/2 c mini chocolate chips

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin cups with liners. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, & salt in a bowl. Stir together milk & vanilla in a small bowl. 

Reserve a TBSp of this mix & combine with the mini chocolate chips in a small, separate bowl.

Beat together butter & sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 4mins . Add egg & beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low, then add flour and milk mixtures alternately in batches, beginning & ending with flour & mixing until just combined. 

 

Fold in the mini chocolate chips (mixed with the flour to prevent sinkage.)

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling them two-thirds full, & bake until tops are pale golden & a wooden pick or skewer inserted in centers comes out clean, about 15 mins. Invert cupcakes onto a rack & cool completely. 

 

The recipe says it yields 24 mini cupcakes, but I actually got 36 out of it!

Caramel Frosting

 adapted from Redbook

• 1 c (packed)light  brown sugar
• 6 TBAp unsalted butter
• 1/3 c  milk
• 1 pinch  salt
• 1 3/4 c confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

---

In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, milk & salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium & boil 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool completely. Stir in confectioners' sugar & vanilla; beat until smooth & thick enough to spread on cupcakes.

Decoration~ Used black licorice lace to make the basketball lines! 

My boys- Gabriel is a future Basketball star!

Hallow's Eve is approaching...

Here's a fun list of things to make for your guys & ghouls...

Chocolate Chip Kettlecorn Balls 

Zombie~Eaten Skeleton Men Cookies

 

Graveyard Cake 

Chocolate Candy molded skulls, etc. 

Inexpensive Silicone Ice Trays

And, of course, there are always the  

Worm Cupcakes:

 Worm Cupcakes

Worms in Dirt

 

 

Ghoul~Lish~Ly FUN

October really gets the creativity flowing especially with a little one. Between the holiday & nature's bounty of autumnal produce, so much abounds to use in recipes. This post is to highlight a couple of my favorite ideas to help you prepare now for those fun costume parties & kid's birthdays. I will have more posts to come with more ideas. 


Enjoy!
<3 Lishie


Graveyard Cake

One of my favorite, & easiest, Halloween treats is the Graveyard Cake.

Any Cake Flavor (yes, you can even use a box mix here ;) but my cake of choice is: HERSHEY'S "PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" Chocolate Cake
Frosting~ Works best with a darker, chocolaty frosting (again, see above)

Graveyard Cake

For the "dirt"~ You can use any of the following: 
Crushed Oreos or gingersnaps, Ground Chocolate Graham Crackers, or Shaved Chocolate (take a vegetable peeler or a box grater to the chocolate)


For the "gravestones" ~ Use Any oval, round or square cookie (here I've used vienna fingers & oreos). Write on the cookies using cake frosting. After "writing" on them, insert halfway into the "dirt".


Added touch ~ Candied pumpkins & candy corn. Or....

Yum~skulls

Chocolate Molded Candy


OK, this is my greatest idea yet for all holidays. Know those wonderful, fun & CHEAP silicone ice trays that have come out everywhere? Well they double fantastically as reusable candy molds! Just get Candy melts like I used here for the Chocolate-dipped Pretzels... Melt according to the package directions. Spray the clean mold with cooking spray (only original or canola oil flavored)... & fill the compartments in the "ice" tray with the melted chocolate candy. Allow to form & harden, then pop 'em out. Yummy, um, candy skulls... or pumpkins, etc.  

Inexpensive Silicone Ice Trays

And, of course, there are always the Worm Cupcakes:

 Worm Cupcakes

Worms in Dirt

A Gabriel, easy, baby or toddler craft

Dark Chocolate dipped Pretzels

Happy anniversary to me! & to my hubby :) (& to all the newly wedded couples in NYC! Woohoo!) It's still extremely hot in the Northeast & I have been taking it easy the last two days. Have some new things to try this week but tonight, I made a fun, yummy, extremely EASY snack for my hubby & I to munch on while watching tv... It's semi-healthy~ Dark Chocolate... pretzels... & it also makes for a fun gift! Make up little boxes on them, place a bow on & you'll have very happy recipients!!!




Dark Chocolate dipped Pretzels

• Pretzels
• Dark Chocolate (I used a bag of Dark Chocolate chips)

Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler until smooth & completely melted. Dip the pretzels into the chocolate halfway then lay them individually on parchment paper. Allow to dry fully. 

*Lishie tips~ So, now that you have this idea, get creative!!! Dip marshmallows, chips, Dried fruit, nuts, etc! The possibilities are endless. YUMMMM

7~24~05

Peanut Butter ~ Fluff Bars *Original Recipe

This cookie bar was inspired by the "old school" sandwich ~ peanut butter & fluffernutter...  I had my first at a friend's house- Felecia's because her parents were cool. We were all of 7 & having "dessert" for lunch! It was awesome. I still love to get one once in a while at the Peanut Butter Co. in the Village (NYC) for lunch. Now it is definitely a treat because I still feel like it's more candy than "food". Ha ha... And still being on my cookie bar kick, I came up with this, wanting to use up the last of my marshmallows. Marshmallows are the equivalent of Fluff so... that is where I got the idea for these:


Lishie's Peanut Butter ~ Fluff Bars

• 1 & 1/2 sticks Butter, @ Room Temperature
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 2 & 1/2 cups Nilla Wafers, processed into "flour"
• 1 cup AP Flour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 3/4 cup Peanut Butter (I used creamy, natural)
• 1/2 cup White Chocolate pieces
• 1 cup + Mini Marshmallows, divided 
• 1/4 cup  Milk Chocolate pieces*

* I used Hershey's Kisses.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9'x9" pan with parchment & flour/grease it. Place it aside.


Mix together the butter & sugar until combined. Add in the nilla wafer crumbs, flour, salt & peanut butter. Fold in the white chocolate & half the marshmallows. 


Spread half of the mixture into the bottom of the prepped pan. Top with the chocolate pieces (sprinkle them on) & some marshmallows. Firmly push them into the bottom layer with an offset spatula (or butter knife)... Then layer the rest of the mixture on top, firmly patting it down to combine.


Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Slice, serve & ENJOY!


Yummy, chewy, sticky goodness in a cookie bar form! Go ahead, add more chocolate or marshmallows! Or spread a little jelly on top of one! ;) You know you want to! They are gooey & just may bring you back too!
<3 Lish

"Take 5" Pretzel Bars

Inspiration, for me, comes from everywhere. Which can be a problem when one has just spent a good amount of time in Hershey, Pennsylvania, "The Sweetest Place on Earth". Indeed it is. Chocolate scent wafts through the air. It's in the hotel shampoo... in the air system, the candles... Ahhh deliciousness. But, for me, it is also as if I am baking~ the sent fills me with, well, fullness. I love it. 


If you get the chance, visit Hershey. It's not all about chocolate. It was built on chocolate & Milton S. Hershey was a wonderful man. I have a slight crush on him. He was a good man. No scandals. And he gave back, a lot. He & his wife couldn't have children so he provided for orphans. Schooling was extremely important to him. & to me. The Hotel is a dream. The Lodge has all of the amenities you could ask for~ Outdoor/indoor pool, restaurants, mini golf, tennis court, game room, gym room, Children's activities, meet & greet with the characters, shuttle buses to amusements. It's wonderful. And then there's the amusement park/water park, the zoo, the gardens, the museum, trolley tours... Go! Oh oh oh... yes, there's the food, the CHOCOLATE. It is everywhere. EVERYWHERE... 


Hershey has a new candy item out~ the "Take 5 Bar". Five layers... Chocolate, Peanut Butter, Caramel, Pretzels, Peanuts. YUM. It was exactly what I needed the last day there... I wanted something salty, rather than all chocolaty. And it gave me an inspiration for a dessert to take to a BBQ this weekend~ My Take on the Take 5 Bar... Here it is...


Lishie's "Take 5" Pretzel Bars

• 1 & 1/2 Sticks Butter, Room Temperature
• 2/3 cup Sugar
• 1 Egg, Room Temperature
• 2 & 1/2 cups Pretzels, food processed
• 1/2 cup flour
• Topping
• 1/2 cup Chunky Peanut Butter (Or 1/2 cup Smooth Peanut Butter + 1/4 cup peanuts, chopped)
• 1 cup Chocolate pieces*
• 1/4 cup Caramel pieces (or Milk Duds, halved)



Caramel Chunks

• 1/4 cup Pretzel pieces

*I used fresh from the Hershey factory mini-mini chocolate bars & cut up Kisses! 

Pre-heat oven to 350°, line a small, sided cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg until combined. In a separate bowl, mix together crushed pretzel flour & AP flour. Stir the pretzel mixture into the butter/sugar/egg mixture. Should become one, big crumbly clump. Press all of the lumpy batter into the bottom of the cookie pan evenly.

Mad Baker @ work :) Earl Grey on hand.

With an offset spatula (or butter knife) thinly spread the peanut butter over the pretzel batter base. Sprinkle the chocolate, caramel & pretzel pieces on top if the peanut butter & lightly pat them into the peanut butter.   

Bake for 20-25 minutes or until caramel & chocolate is completely melted & gooey. Allow to cool completely. Cut into squares & ENJOY! 

<3 Lishie

Before entering the oven...

Freshly out of the oven...

Pretzel "Flour"

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries

 Here's a quick & easy treat to serve this Independence Day. The strawberries are in season & absolutely gorgeous. The scent is beautiful.


My hubby, who is restricting his sugar intake, told me to make these even though he know he wouldn't be eating them. This is a nice twist on the flag for the holiday.

Everyone, please, have a safe & happy July 4th!!!

White Chocolate Dipped Strawberries with Blue & Red Sugar Crystals

• Strawberries
• Wilton White Candy Melts OR White Chocolate Chips
• Sparkling Candy Sugar  (blue & red))

Wash the strawberries really well, leaving the leafy stems on.


Melt the white candy melts to package directions (or the white chocolate chips over a double boiler not letting the chocolate touch the heat source). I used the Candy Melts melted in a small glass bowl, in the microwave. *Lishie tip- You can also add food coloring to the white chocolate here...

When the candy is melted, dip the stawberry into the melted chocolate. Allow to drip a little, then quickly place the berry on parchment paper. Before the chocolate sets too much, sprinkle colored sugar crystals (or nuts or non-pareils or jimmies/sprinkles) onto chocolate-dipped berry. Allow to dry. 


Don't forget to enter my 
Melissa & Doug TOY GiveAway!!!

Confetti Blondies! (M&Ms)

The M & Ms melt for a rainbow confetti look!

I think my most asked for baked good to make is my blondies. Once someone gets a taste, they want them again. So when I asked Jeanie at work what she'd like for her birthday, she said, "I really like your blondies!" Easily done. I love making them & I love doing things differently every time. So for a birthday blondie, how about some confetti? These are a cinch to do- just add M & Ms! They add the color & the milk chocolate. Plus bright colors = happiness to me! Happy birthday, Jeanie!

Fun HIDING inside! Shhhhh

Lishie's "Confetti" Blondies

• 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup M & M Candies

Preheat oven to 350°.

Butter and line a 9x9" baking pan with parchment paper. Butter the parchment paper too. Combine the flour, baking powder & salt in a medium bowl.

Melt the butter; add brown sugars & combine until sugar is melted in. Let the mix cool. Then whisk in the eggs & vanilla until combined. Blend in the flour mixture just until it's combined (*leaving a little to mix with the M & Ms. See tip below.) . Fold in the M & Ms. Scoop the batter into the prepped pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes (until a toothpick comes out clean).

Makes 16.

*Lishie-tip- Leave about a TBsp of the flour mixture in it's original bowl & mix the M & Ms with it. This little bit of flour will help the candies not settle into the bottom of the pan.

Jell-O Jigglers Easter Eggs & The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg & an EARTH DAY Craft

Doubtful the Easter bunny will eat 'em but my hunny bunny will

Today's Good Friday, Earth Day & I have a sick toddler... what to do inside, what to do? I decided to do a couple of crafty things, & one was Jell-O Jigglers. Funny, my toddler doesn't eat them but my hubby does. So these are sugar free lemon & lime gelatin eggs.

Jell-O Jigglers Easter Eggs 

But first, you need one of these: Jiggler Egg Mold

Original recipe from Kraft Foods. I had to modify their recipe because my hubby picked up 2 different flavors of the smaller, .30 oz boxes. Using the mold, I mixed 1 cup of boiling water with the gelatin. It came out great (according to my hubby). Krafty! ;)

Another project we did today was decorating eggs.  Guess egg-salad is in our future ;)

The Perfect Hard-Boiled Egg

Donald's G's favorite!

Place the eggs in one layer, in a sauce pan & cover them with cool water to 1 or 2 inches above the eggs. Bring the water to a boil, uncovered. Turn off the heat & COVER. Leave covered for 10-12 minutes. Gently take the hard-boiled eggs out & rinse the eggs with cool water. 

If using them for coloring Easter eggs, towel dry, then dunk in the dye!

& this Earth Day "Earth" craft:

I got the idea from the great blog No Time for Flashcards. I used a plastic plate, repurposed a piece of blue paper cut into a circle as well as the foam squares (cut from foam pieces from a Christmas craft). I squirted Elmer's glue in an abstract shape of North & Central America (Cuba's square!) & Gabriel "placed" the green foam pieces on.

No matter what you celebrate today- it's also Passover- I hope you have fun!

White Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods with Sugar Crystals

Gabriel's 2nd Birthday dipped pretzels!

White Chocolate Dipped Pretzel Rods with Blue Sugar Crystals

• Pretzel Rods
• Wilton White Candy Melts OR White Chocolate Chips
• Sparkling Candy Sugar  (I used blue)

Melt the white candy melts to package directions (or the white chocolate chips over a double boiler not letting the chocolate touch the heat source). I used the Candy Melts. melted in a glass pyrex bread pan, in the microwave.

When the candy is melted, dip the pretzel rod into the melted chocolate. Allow to drip a little, then quickly place the pretzel on parchment paper. Before the chocolate sets too much, sprinkle colored sugar crystals (or nuts or non-pareils or jimmies/sprinkles) onto chocolate-dipped pretzel. Allow to dry.

Adelyn's beautiful creations for the Childrens Valentine's Party!

These are delish! Great for ANY occasion- birthday, showers, anniversaries, even weddings... They make great favors wrapped in plastic treat bags or just as a dessert  type candy centerpiece.

Thank you to my friend Adelyn for giving me the great idea! So fun! Enjoy!

To view Gabriel's Blue Bird themed Birthday, go HERE.

White Chocolate dipped "Peeps" on a stick!

White Chocolate dipped "Peeps" on a stick!

These were so easy to make! All you need is:

• Lollipop Sticks- Small or Large (I used Small, for tiny hands)
• PEEPS- can use any of them!
• Wilton White Candy Melts or White Chocolate Chips  
• Clear plastic treat bags
• Ribbon

Melt the white candy melts to package directions (or the white chocolate chips over a double boiler not letting the chocolate touch the heat source). I used the Candy Melts. melted in a glass pyrex bread pan, in the microwave.

While the chocolate is melting, prep your pops. For LARGE pops, take the Stick & a row of 5 peeps. Poke the stick through the middle sides of all 5 Peeps, being careful not to come out the end of the last Peep. (For SMALL sticks, take the 2 END PEEPS & 1 middle PEEP to create a smaller pop.)

When the chocolate candy is melted, dip the bottom 1/4 of the PEEPS in it. Allow the melted candy to drip off a bit, then quickly lay dipped side of the pop onto parchment paper. Allow to cool.

When cooled, place in plastic candy bags & seal with a ribbon.

*Lishie tip- Such a cute Easter basket treat, favor or components of a centerpiece!
To view Gabriel's Blue Bird themed Birthday, go HERE.

Peppermint Fudge Cookie Sandwiches

Recently, I went to a Pampered Chef Party at my friend Rachel's house. I love a lot of their products so the prospect of buying more made me happy. And, of course, we were able to taste some yummy food, given presentations with product use & I got my hands on some new recipes. The Peppermint Fudge Cookie Sandwich is one of those recipes! And after months of drinking Peppermint mocha coffee, well, this seemed like a delicious cookie to try. So when another friend, Stacey, who attended the same party, invited my family for a weeknight dinner with friends this week, suggested I bring dessert... this is the what I decided to make:

The Pampered Chef ®

Peppermint Fudge Cookie Sandwiches 

Recipe

 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate morsels 

 1/4 cup butter 

 1/2 cup sugar 

 1 egg 

 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 

 2 candy canes or 8-10 peppermint hard candies (about 1/4 cup crushed) 

 1/4 cup white or semi-sweet chocolate morsels 

 10-12 mini foil-wrapped peppermint patty candies, unwrapped 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line Large Sheet Pan with a 10-in. sheet of Parchment Paper. Combine chocolate morsels and butter in Classic Batter Bowl. Microwave on HIGH 40-60 seconds or until smooth, stirring after each 20-second interval using Classic Scraper. Add sugar and egg to batter bowl; mix until well blended. Add flour; mix just until flour is incorporated. Using Small Scoop, drop 20 level scoops of batter, 1 in. apart, onto pan. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are set. (Do not overbake.)


2. Meanwhile, place candy canes into resealable plastic bag; crush using flat side of Meat Tenderizer and set aside. Place white chocolate morsels into Small Micro-Cooker®; microwave, uncovered, on HIGH 30-60 seconds or until melted and smooth, stirring once. Set aside.


3. Remove sheet pan from oven to Stackable Cooling Rack. Immediately turn over half of the cookies using Mini-Serving Spatula; top with peppermint patties and remaining cookies to form 10 sandwiches. Drizzle chocolate over cookies and immediately sprinkle with crushed candies. Transfer to serving platter. Line pan with another sheet of Parchment Paper and scoop remaining batter onto paper. Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges are set. Assemble sandwiches as directed above.

Yield: 10-12 cookie sandwiches

Nutrients per serving: (1 cookie sandwich): Calories 230, Total Fat 9 g, Saturated Fat 6 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Carbohydrate 34 g, Protein 3 g, Sodium 35 mg, Fiber 1 g

Cook's Tip: If you do not have Parchment Paper, lightly brush pan with vegetable oil. Bake cookies and fill with peppermint patties. Transfer sandwiches to cooling rack and decorate as directed above. Repeat with remaining batter. 

If using Large Bar Pan, line pan with Parchment Paper or brush with vegetable oil. Prepare batter as directed above; bake 14-16 minutes or until edges are set. Proceed as recipe directs, baking second batch for 14-15 minutes. 

To easily drizzle chocolate over cookies, place resealable plastic bag into Measure-All® Cup. Pour chocolate into corner of bag. Twist top of bag; secure with Twixit! Clip. Cut corner off tip of bag using Kitchen Shears to allow chocolate to flow through. 

© 2009 The Pampered Chef used under license.

My batter, after following the above directions exactly, yielded not 10-12 sandwiches BUT 18! Not sure how, since, as you can see by the picture, they are the perfect size! They are delicious! So if you love chocolate & peppermint, this cookie sandwich is for you!

*Lishie tip- Place the peppermint patty IMMEDIATELY on the one side of the HOT cookie... & then place the other cookie "slice" of the sandwich quickly on top so the 3 parts melt together! Also not all specified "tools" are needed- use your judgment ;) I drizzled the chocolate on top with a spoon.

*Lishie tip- You could change this recipe up using peanut butter cups & some melted peanut butter chips drizzled on top + crushed peanut instead of peppermint candy!

"Early Bird Gets the Worm" Cupcakes

Squirmy goodness!

For my little one's two year old birthday, I had a blue bird theme so I made "Early Bird Gets the Worm" Cupcakes... I wanted them to taste great & look good so I used my "go to" chocolate cake recipe- Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Cake & Frosting. The problem was, I didn't know the baking time nor how many cupcakes a batch of batter would yield. Well after experimenting, now I do, & now you will too!

"Early Bird Gets the Worm" Cupcakes
Yields 36 Cupcakes

• One batch of Both: Batter & Frosting (Hershey Cocoa)
• 1 Bar of Semi-Sweet Chocolate (I used Ghiradelli), shredded/grated
• 1 large package of Gummy Worms
• Cupcake Liners

Heat oven to 350 degrees. 


Line two, 6-cupcake tins. Fill the liners half way. In three batches, bake 12 cupcakes at a time, for 17 minutes. Allow to cool entirely.


After the cupcakes are cooled, take a large-holed straw (like a fast food restaurant's) & insert into the middle of each cupcake. Twist out a "hole" Place the tail end of 1 gummy worm in the hole. Holding the gummy worm's head, frost around the worm on the cupcake. Still holding the gummy worm's head, sprinkle shredded chocolate "dirt" onto the frosting. Finally, place the gummy worm head into the frosting so the candy bug stays in place!




*Lishie tip- Use a veggie grater for the chocolate topping- it's best, I find. Also, refrigerate the chocolate bar a little before-hand to make it easier to work with.