Mayflower Cakes

As children, my family spent some time in Massachusetts & we would visit Plymouth, "Plimoth Plantation" & Plymouth Rock... When Thanksgiving comes around, my mind always flashes back to these trips. I cannot wait to take my son! But for now, I made these cute little Mayflower Cakes for his class:

 
Mayflower Cakes

• Cake recipe
• Frosting recipe
• Lollipop Sticks
• Paper

The cake mix I used was a gluten free box mix but you can use any recipe. I used my handy-dandy Egg Cakelet pan from Easter! I LOVE re-purposing holiday pieces. But you can also do Mayflower Cupcakes instead! What ever you do, ENJOY...

Be Thankful.

I am.

Thank you all.

<3 Lishie 
Gabriel's Mom

Honey S'mores Treats!

Oh it is hot. But I am not complaining; I just do not want to turn on my oven. Even with the a/c on it is just too hot. So what to do when my most requested item is, well, requested? Improvise with a no-bake alternative!!! Today is another birthday celebration at work & someone suggested I bring in my original Lishie's S'mores Bars.

So I thought hard & came up with these Honey S'mores Treats. All of the flavors, no baking. Sweet. & Delish. I think they may become a new favorite!

<3 Lishie

Honey S'mores Treats 

• 3 TBSp butter
•  1, 10 oz package marshmallows
• 1/4 c chocolate (I used Hershey's Kisses)
• 6 c Quaker Honey Graham Oh's Cereal

Melt the marshmallows & butter together either in the microwave or on the stove top... Fold in the chocolate & keep "folding" until it melts in. Add the cereal, gently mix. Scoop the ingredients onto a surface to cool & cut.

Hershey Giveaway

Hershey was so much fun. "The Sweetest Place On Earth" indeed. I cannot express the fun that can be had especially with a willing & wonderful four year old. I don't want to mention that this four year old won't eat chocolate but... there's everything else at Hershey too. The people are sweet, kind & caring. There's the Park, the ZooAmerica, the Lodge, the Gardens... the other food. And it is so good. Well, our little four year old skipped happily to each ride. What memories we made.

Which leads me to past memories... my hubby proposed to me in Mrs. Hershey's Rose Garden by the fountain. The Gardens are gorgeous, calm & huge... It was extremely romantic. And we shared the Gardens with our son again... This is my favorite picture from the trip- Gabriel holding the little girl statue's hand in the Children's Garden:

We stayed at the Hershey Lodge & we visited Hershey's Chocolate World & Hershey Park / ZooAmerica & Hershey Gardens. We ate very little chocolate (that's usually what happens) but the savory food is delish as well. We had delicious paninis, pulled pork sliders (infused with chocolate), homemade chips & fries... And I had the best caesar salads! The bagels were bakery fresh & the milk is just delicious. Chocolate milk every morning.

I wanted to share a little of Hershey with my readers & Gabriel helped choose this GIVEAWAY (he got a blue bear too!):

~A Hershey Kisses Bear w/ a large chocolate Hershey Kiss
~A 12oz miniature assortment FRESH from the Factory...
Reese's/Kisses/Krackel/Hershey's Dark/Mr. Goodbar/Hershey Milk Chocolate
~A postcard "With Love, DeLish DeMaria"

PRIZE Totals about $20.00.
If you have never had Hershey's FRESH from the Factory, OMGoodnes, it is so DELISH!! Truly there's a difference. That first bite you can tell.

Prize is open to DeLish fans in the Continental United States. Please COMMENT below that you shared & maybe state your favorite Hershey item!!!

Those who shared yesterday will have an extra entry :)

Hershey did not put me up to this- I willingly want to share :)!!!Just enter the Rafflecopter giveaway below, which ends on Friday July 5th at 12AM!

Sweet entering!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

"Ice Cream" Cookies

 

This was super easy & super fun for the kiddos. And of course, it is not really a recipe except for the frosting. I didn't want to put my oven on- it was hot. And my hubby was bbq-ing our dinner outside. I had spied an idea like this on pinterest... So this made for a cute snack for my little G's last day of pre-k 3.

So you can use any oval cookie (I used Vienna Fingers) or Nutter Butters.

You can use any frosting flavor since ice cream come sin many flavors & colors (I used chocolate, recipe below).

The "sprinkles" are rainbow non-pareils.

The "cherry" is a red m&m but you can use red skittles, red hots, red Trix, etc.

<3 Lishie

Gabriel's mom

"PERFECTLY CHOCOLATE" CHOCOLATE FROSTING

from Hershey's
https://www.hersheys.com/recipes/recipe-details.aspx?id=184

• 1/2 c butter
• 2/3 c Cocoa
• 3 c powdered sugar
• 1/3 c milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Melt butter. Stir in cocoa. Alternately add powdered sugar & milk, beating to spreading consistency. Add small amount additional milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla.

Dinosaur Chocolate Chocolate Cake

 

The Cake.

The centerpiece of a party... I wanted it special & fun & I wanted to make it myself for Gabriel's Dinosaur party. And, funny as it sounds, since the kids were dressing as dinosaurs, I did not want the cake to be dinosaur shaped. So, incorporating Jen's beautiful dino silhouette, I created this bunting- thought the upside down "R" & pinwheels were a cute touch. Some grated/shredded chocolate for "dirt", dinosaur candles & speckled jelly bean "dinosaur eggs" (which ALL of the children wanted) were finishing touches.   

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake Recipe

Hershey's "Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Frosting Recipe

<3 Lishie

Gabriel's Mom

Dinosaur Pull Apart Cake

Happy birthday to my boy, Gabrielosaurus! This was the first celebration on his actual birthday (4/17) at school. Pull-apart cakes are great for class celebrations- theme's there, without the cutting! This was easy- you can do it!!! My little dino had a great day!
<3 Lishie

Dinosaur Pull Apart Cake 

• 1 Chocolate Cake Recipe
• 1 Vanilla Frosting recipe
• green food coloring (or whatever color your dinosaur wants to be!)
• green (or matching sugar sprinkles)
• Bugles
• 2 white chocolate chips
• Eyes (you can make them with a toothpick & paper!)

24-25 cupcakes

Favors for the class <3
Dinosaur mask, dinosaur pencil, dinosaur stickers, dinosaur eraser & a personalized dinosaur coloring sheet

Mix the vanilla frosting with the food coloring to get the color you want; Frost the cupcakes. Place in the pattern above (pictured). add the green sprinkles, the bugles for the spine & claws... the eyes & the 2 chips for the nostrils.

Bee Cupcakes

My son had the most wonderful experience for two months of Saturdays... An ice skating class managed by high school juniors & seniors at the local high school. The school's mascot is the Fighting Bee so for the ice skating end party, I only thought it appropriate to make bee cupcakes! They came out pretty cute I think!

Bee Cupcakes

1 Chocolate Cupcake recipe

1 Chocolate Frosting recipe

cupcake liners

Decorations

yellow icing

candy eyes

Nilla Wafers, halved

yellow sugar crystals

Pipe alternating yellow/chocolate/yellow/chocolate lines for the stripes.

Pipe two "dots" of chocolate to affix the candy eyes.

Stick the two halves of one Nilla Wafer cookie for the "wings".

For some alternate cupcakes, simply frost with chocolate & dip into yellow sugar cystals.

For more fun, I printed these ice skating bee stock pictures (google image search) on labels & then affixed them to toothpicks to add to the yellow crystal cupcakes <3.

<3 Lishie

Easter Bunny Cookies

I love to sending in goodies to my little one's preschool class. I've had these chocolate chip shape cookies on my radar since St. Patrick's Day & want to change up the cupcake thing. I am really going to call these "abstract" bunny cookies but they taste great!!! Ha ha. I also attempted to make Easter eggs but they came out looking like, well, chocolate chip cookies :)

Everyone have a blessed Holy Thursday.

<3 Lishie

Easter Bunny Cookies 

slightly adapted from Nestle

• 1 c (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 1/3 c granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 1/2 c a-p flour
• 2 c (12-oz. pkg.) NESTLÉ® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels (I used the pastel pink & yellow ones + milk chocolate)
• 1 tube of decorative frosting or gel.

Beat butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract & salt in large mixer bowl until creamy. Beat in egg yolk. Gradually beat in flour. Stir in morsels. Shape dough into 2 round discs; wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 1 hour or until firm. *Lishie tip- I'd suggest placing the dough in the freezer- makes it easier & more pliable to work it.

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Roll each disc to 1/4" thickness between two sheets of waxed paper. Cut into *bunny* (or any) shapes; place on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Decorate.

These are the Bunny Pockets I made to send in to Gabriel's classmates. I think they came out cute! I placed a fruit treat in each & on the back there's a label saying, "Hoppy Easter, ______" Love, Gabriel.

Happy National Chocolate Caramel Day!!!

March 19, 2013 is National Chocolate Caramel Day

It’s National Chocolate Caramel Day! The union of chocolate and caramel is arguably one of the greatest flavor combinations ever conceived by man. These two ingredients appear in countless candy bars, ice cream flavors, confections, and desserts. Did you know that Milton Hershey began his career at a caramel company? In the late 1800s he began experimenting with ways to improve caramel candy and found some German-built machines for manufacturing chocolate. His attention would eventually shift completely to chocolate, but Hershey’s first product was a chocolate-covered caramel! To celebrate National Chocolate Caramel Day, enjoy some of your favorite goodies made with chocolate and caramel!

I HIGHLY SUGGEST:

DeLish DeMaria's

Stuffed Brownies
<3 Lishie

Chocolate Chocolate Chip & Peppermint Cookies

Oh goodness, these were yummy. I made them in December & am just now getting around to blogging. But do not fret! You can substitute nuts or butterscotch candy pieces or jolly rancher candy pieces or white chocolate chips... the substitutions can go on & on for the peppermint!!! Try pastel mints for Easter!

<3 Lishie

Chocolate Chocolate Chip & Peppermint Cookies

very slightly adapted from Hershey's

• 2-1/4 c a-p  flour
• 1/3 c Cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 c butter, softened
• 3/4 c granulated sugar
• 3/4 c packed light brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2  eggs
• 2 c Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 c  peppermint pieces

Heat oven to 375°F.

2 Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar & vanilla in large bowl on medium speed of mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips. Add peppermint pieces. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

Told you all- I.Am.Back. I have quite a few savory recipes to post up my sleeve but it was Oscar Weekend (yes, week end - one word, capital "W".) Back in the day, I use to either 1) attend glamorous NYC parties or 2) throw one! Now, I am content to watch the Oscars in a homey way- in pjs, glittered socks & a homemade delectable, DeLish snack... And this was IT...

Salted Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies

adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction

• 2 c + 2 TBSp a-p flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3/4 c (1.5 sticks) salted butter, room temperature
• 1 c light brown sugar
• 1/2 c sugar
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 LARGE Caramello Candy Bar, chopped into uneven bits & pieces
• sea salt

Mix the flour & baking soda in a small bowl; set aside.

Cream the butter & sugars together. Add the eggs & vanilla; combine well. Gradually add the flour mixture & stir until a lumpy dough forms. Do not overmix the dough at any point in this process.

Form a "log" shape & wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap & chill it in the freezer. When the dough is chilled well...

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Unwrap the dough & slice into coin shapes (rapidly so as to keep the dough cold). Place the coin shapes onto an ungreased baking sheet. Press a few pieces of teh caramello bits into the tops of the cookies. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned. Sprinkle each cookie with sea salt while they are warm.

PERFECT with a glass of ice cold milk.

<3 Lishie

Stuffed Brownies

As you may have noticed, I took a little, much-needed vacation from blogging. I love my blog & you all but sometimes a break is in order... No worries though because I thought I would come back strong with this winner. We had the Moms Group Valentine's party this past weekend & I made these Stuffed Brownies. And oh boy was this recipe well taken by parents & kids alike. I even got a high five from one of the little ones! High praise indeed. 

Oh.Em.Gee. YUM. I have to say these are definitely DeLish. And oh so easy to make. Just please do not blame me for the caloric intake... I am pretty sure it is worth it!!! 

The inspiration for these came from a variant on the recipe I made growing up in Florida called "Symphony Bars".

Stuffed Brownies

• 1 8x8 original Brownie recipe (can be scratch-made or box mix!)
• 3 large Caramello bars, broken into their square pieces.
• couple of pinches of sea salt
• Powdered Sugar Optional

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Prep a 13"X9" pan- I line with parchment paper or aluminum foil then spray with baking spray.
Prepare the brownie batter.
Pour half of the browning batter into the prepped pan.
Place the Caramello bar pieces to fit on top of the brownie batter layer.
"Pinch" the sea salt over the Caramello bar pieces.
Cover the Caramello bar pieces with the remaining brownie batter.
Bake for about 35 minutes, or until the edges are browned but not burnt...
Carefully pull the finished product out of the pan using the liner & allow to cool.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar & cut into small, two-bite-sized pieces. 

<3 Lishie (I'm backkkkk! ;) )

Halfsies!

Time is flying by for me. Gabriel, my tot, is 3 & 1/2. Holy moly my baby is growing up. We went to his friend Sammy's 3rd birthday this past weekend & G just loves the Happy birthday song. I had seen a "Half" birthday cake on pinterest so I thought, why not? Life is too short not to bake & eat cake. So I made a Halfsie cake- a brown bear peeping at Gabriel- for this week. 

Light, fluffy yellow goodness

It is one 8" round cake, cut in half, "glued" together with frosting then turned onto its flat side. The "ears" are two tiny cupcakes "pinned" on with toothpicks & the "eyes" are two nilla wafers with two chocolate chips "glued" on with frosting. I didn't do the best or prettiest job but for my 3 & 1/2 year old, it was awesome. And, really, that is all that counts!

<3 mommy Lishie

Halfsies vanilla cake recipe 
(for the perfect amount)

• 1 & 1/2 c flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• pinch salt
• 1/2 c butter, softened
• 3/4 c sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 c milk

Heat oven to 350°F. 

Grease an 8" circle cake pan. Place paper baking cups in each of 2 cupcake cups. 

G 3.5 

In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder & salt; set aside.
In large bowl, beat butter with electric mixer on medium speed 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition & scraping bowl occasionally. Beat 2 minutes longer. Add egg & beat well. Beat in vanilla. On low speed, alternately add flour mixture, then  milk, beating just until blended.
Divide batter evenly among
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Chocolate Frosting recipe here.   

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

I love making biscotti.

I love chocolate chip cookies.

When they meet...

Biscotti + Chocolate Chip Cookies = <3

These are DeLish indeed.

<3 Lishie

Chocolate Chip Biscotti

adapted from BHG. COM

• 1/4 c butter, softened
• 1/4 c shortening
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 1/4 c granulated sugar
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/4 c a-p flour
• 1/2 c semisweet chocolate chips
  
  

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a 9x9x2" baking pan with foil, allowing edges to hang over sides of pan; set pan aside.
 

Beat butter and 1/4 cup shortening in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, granulated sugar & baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg & vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour. Stir in miniature semisweet chocolate pieces. 

Press dough evenly onto bottom of prepared baking pan. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until crust is evenly golden brown and center is set. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 325F.

Use foil to lift baked mixture out of pan. Transfer cookie to a cutting board; remove foil. Cut baked mixture into 9x1/2-inch slices using a serrated knife. Place slices, cut sides down, 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake in 325 degrees F oven about 20 minutes or until crisp, turning carefully halfway through baking time. Cool completely on the cookie sheet on a wire rack. 

S'Mores Cones

Sorry I've been gone but it has been so busy. Trying to get a back to school schedule scurely in place. Speaking of whuch, hmmm... it is getting cooler outside. Homework is happening... Night's are getting shorter, darker longer. What would be a good treat? S'mores in the guise of an ice cream cone. Quick, paperless, oh so fun & easy. 
<3 Lishie
S'Mores Cones

• 1/2 c Graham Cracker crumbs
• 1/2 c melted butter
• 1/4 c flour
• 1/4 c chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate)
• 1 small jar of Fluff or melted marshmallows
• ice cream cones

Mix the first 4 ingredients together. Spoon the mixture into the cones halfway up. Top with Fluff.

Place in a mini cupcake tray. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes, or until the fluff turns golden.

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!

S'Mores Dip

Yep S'Mores Dip. I mean why not? It is like having the outside of a candy apple in a bowl to dip the apple slices into. Yummmmmm... so good. Happy S'Mores Day! Celebrate some way~See these <3 Lishie OPTIONS!

S'Mores Dip- all it is is equal parts melted chocolate (I used semi-sweet chips), graham cracker crumbs & marshmallow fluff. Mix together while the chocolate is just melted, warm, & serve!

Happy S'Mores Day!

How much do I love S'Mores? Oh Let me count the ways....

How much do I love Hershey? Again, let me count the ways....

So much so that 1) my hubby asked me to marry him in Mrs. Hershey's Rose Garden. So sweet. 2) we go to Heshey park once or twice a year) & 3) This year, instead of cake, I opted for a yummy, freshly made S'More for my birthday. Yes, and this one was made with a caramello. Omgoodness. So good.

Well this week is National S'Mores Day on Friday, 8/10/12, in Hershey so I thought it would be great to say enjoy one of my homemade S'mores recipes; they are truly a hit!

Lishie's S'Mores

Lishie's Double Chocolate S'Mores Bars

Lishie's S'Mores Bites

Lishie's Pumpkin S'Mores Bars

<3 Lishie

Jungle Animal Cuppies

"Jungle Animal Cuppies"

Chocolate Chip Brownie Cups w/ Chocolate Frosting
slightly adapted from Hershey's Kitchens 

• 1 c butter
• 2 c sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 c HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 1-3/4 c a-p flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 18 muffin cups with paper bake cups. OK, somehow, MINE yielded 24 cupcakes! Go me! LOL- more to go around ;)
2. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH (100%) 1 to 1-/2 min.s or until melted. Stir in sugar & vanilla. Add eggs; beat well. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder & salt; beat well. Stir in 1-1/3 c chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups (I used a scoop). 
3. Bake 25 to 30 min.s or until surface is firm; remove from oven. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 

Decorate! I had so much fun with these... I thought, hmmm... how can I make easy, FUN, celebratory cupcakes for 3 year olds?! Well, here you go. Each child gets a cupcake & animal crackers. Cannot beat that. I hope Gabriel & his friends have a great party at school!!!! <3 Mama Lishie

Frosting is Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Frosting. Sprinkle on green "Jimmies" for the grass, then place 2 animal crackers on. Yep, that easy. But the fun is immense! And yep, my son knows he is cute (exhibit A:)