Vanilla Cake Truffles {No Bake}

I needed something sweet and chocolate. Bad.

Good ole Pinterest helped me out with this one.

 

Vanilla Cake Batter No Bake Truffles

Heaven.... I felt much better after I made these.

 

I found the recipe HERE.

 

5 Ingredients:

1 cup vanilla cake mix

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk + 1 tbsp.

1/2 tbsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 - 2 cups semi sweet choc chips - or wafers or almond bark

 

Mix all but chocolate in bowl and combine

 



It will be kinda pasty - maybe a little dry.  - that's okay.

Make sure its the correct consistency to roll into balls.. either add more sc milk or cake mix ...

then pop into the freezer to firm ( @ 10 min) so you can roll into balls



I lined a 9x9 baking pan with parchment and rolled the pasty batter into dough balls about 1/2 inch

Then put them back in the freezer for a good 15 min.

 

Melt your chocolate of choice, and dip.

They turned out really good.

Thanks averie cooks for this super easy and amazing indulgence!



Since I made these I have pinned a few other variations, one being Cake Batter flavored - rolled in sprinkles. That may be my next trial.

This was the perfect pick-me-up-chocolate-sweet-tooth-attack yet.

Pretzel Cookie Dough Bites

I saw these on Pinterest and pinned them as fast as I could. 

I knew I'd make them based on the look, the name.. the ingredients.. 

They are so good. 

Sweet, salty and a bit of crunch.

I used butter waffle pretzels, but im sure the mini twists would work just fine.

Here is the full recipe:

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1/2 cup brown sugar 

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cups flour 

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 cup mini semi sweet choc chips

40-50 pretzels

8oz melting chocolate or choc chips  * I used melting wafers. - half milk chocolate and half dark.

1. line a sheet tray with parchment or wax paper

2. mix/beat butter and sugars together until light and fluffy. Add the milk and vanilla and mix

3. Add the flour and salt on medium speed. Dough will be thick,  keep mixing until it comes together. fold in choc chips.

4. Roll dough into small balls and press between two pretzel. Freeze for 20 minutes.

5. Melt the chocolate & dip half of the pretzel/dough bites. Place back on the sheet tray and place in the fridge 10 min. 

I ate way to many, and Im going to make more very soon ... this is your warning.. They are very very good!

Speculoos Cookie Butter Mousse

Cookie Butter Mousse!

I love Speculoos Cookie Butter from Trader Joe's...

It hasnt complelety replaced peanut butter for me, but its a very very close second.

I recently bought the crunchy version ... mmmmmm 

I tried a new recipe found on .. where else? Pinterest.

 My husband LOOOOOVED it... and so did I! I didnt want a huge pie of the stuff.. Just little small individual dessert cups. So I bought the mini graham cracker crusts which come in a 6 pack. This recipe was just enough for the 6 shells.. with some left over. I saved the aluminum mini pans, and next time Im goig to try and made homemade crust. 

Ingredients:

4oz cream cheese 

1/2 cup trader joes speculoos cookie butter (crunchy or smooth)

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tub cool whip - 8oz.

1 tbsp milk or cream

1. With a hand mixer or stand mixer ... combine cookie butter, milk & cream cheese

2. Slowly beat in powdered sugar

I dont know how it happens, but it magically comes all together like this....

4. Fold in the whipped cream. It will look like you are doing something wrong at first, or at least thats what I thought. But keep folding...and folding...

See... its coming together nicely, but it takes some time.

I used a pastry bag, and piped the mousse into the tiny graham shells.

Everything looks prettier piped =)

See?

Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours, longer the better. Overnight would be okay.

I had one for breakfast the next morning and it was soooo good. 

And there you have it.. 

Adorable and yummy mousse cups.

Strawberry Oat Bars {Pioneer Woman}

Strawberry Oat Bars

I got this recipe straight from www.foodnetwork.com

Its the Pioneer Woman's

 

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 sticks salted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cup oats
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• One 10 to 12-ounce jar strawberry preserves

  Grease a 9x13 inch pan with butter.

Mix the butter, oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt together with a pastry cutter until well blended and crumbly 

The best part was I used my Aunt's homemade jam from my sister's shower ...

Strawberry homemade jam... so so good

Spread 1/2 of the oat mix into the pan and press down until even.

Add the jam/spread of your choice.

I didn't have enough in the homemade jam department, so thankfully I had my favorite on hand to finish the middle strawberry layer.

Then you cover the jam with the remaining 1/2 of the oat mixture and that is it!

I baked them at 350 for about 35 minutes.

I was trying to let them cool before I cut them into bars.. and I walked into the kitchen to find the scene below....

 

husband....

never fails.

He openly claims he doesn't like sweets.. yeah.. okay.. sure.

 

So.... after I cut them into bars.. and tasted one myself.. they were so so good. 

This recipe was so easy.

I made it after the kids were in bed, and it didn't take me any time at all..

They were a great treat for Samantha's playdate with her friend Meghan.

And good for breakfast too!

S'Mores Cookie Bars & Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies {Tried & Loved Recipes}

S'mores Cookie Bars!

 

I made these for our family's 4th of July party.

They were a hit!

Original recipe from www.noshwithme.com

 

Ingredients 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 (1.55 oz. each) milk chocolate candy bars
1 cup marshmallow crème (I would use more*)

Heat oven to 350 - Grease an 8x8 pan

 

Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt; add to butter mixture, beating until blended. Press half of dough into prepared pan.

Layer on the Hershey bars... it doesn't need to be perfect...

Then spread the Fluff on top of the chocolate...

*One note.. the end result doesn't quite look like the picture on the blog Nosh With Me, but Im wondering if you doubled the Fluff & Chocolate Bars if it would? I may try this next time...

 

Press remaining dough onto the Fluff

Bake for about 30-35 min. 

Let them cool a bit, and then I cut and decorated them

 

Salted Caramel Apple Hand Pies

I found this recipe HERE via Pinterest

It was very very good..

The Sea Salt adds such a good flavor



 

I didn't follow the recipe for the dough.. I used a Betty Crocker Pie Crust (just add water) mix, and it was pretty good.

 

The filling consists of Apples, Lemon Juice, Sugar, Flour & Cinnamon

 

I used a 3 inch circle cookie cutter, and it made 6 cute little pies.

 

After you put the apple filling on the bottom half, then you add chopped up vanilla caramels & a sprinkle of Sea Salt... the BIG flaked kind.



I cooked them at 425 for about 15 minutes.

 

They are adorable, and delicious!

Lemonade Birthday Party {the details}

Details on the party..

I had a lot of fun with the Lemonade theme.

I started in early June brainstorming and creating.

Most of my sources came from Pinterest and Etsy.

 

The sign below is just broken wood pieces painted with acrylic paints, and nailed to the tree in our backyard.



 

The Lemonade Stand

This was one of the first projects I started.. Husband joined in to help .. and then I finished.

I found an old pallet that was out for trash.. threw it in my car, and voila..

I took almost the whole thing apart, and then Mathew added the ledge.

Then I just again painted on the letters with yellow paint, and nailed them to the two wood pieces from the pallet 

The Cupcakes

I used a Pink Lemonade Cupcake Mix made by Pillsbury.. it was sooo soo yummy.

And I made some homemade Lemon Buttercream Frosting.. which was A MAZE ing... 

I decorated them, and double lined them with pink and yellow cupcake wrappers..

I displayed them on a wood slab (found at Michaels in the wood craft section)..



 

Lunch

I made these treat cups out of paper plates. Found the tutorial on pinterest 

For lunch we served:

 

Hot Dogs

Veggies and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Dip

Tortellini Tomato Herb Salad

Veggie Sticks

Chips



 

The tablecloths were vintage linens I had in my stash

Bamboo spoons with stamped labels for the hot dog garnishes

Straws were in mason jars all over the tables I found them on Etsy.

On to the dessert table.. 

 

Tower of Sugar Cookies & wrapped Rice Krispie Sprinkled Cones

 

The Cupcakes

Pink Lemonade Cake with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

 

I wanted it to be like a little lemonade candy store.

I had glassine and kraft bags, where everyone went shopping and got to bring goodies home with them. 

Mason Jars were used by the girls for their lemonades

The lids and straws I ordered from Etsy



 

The Party Favors:

 

Along with the candy bar I assembled...

Each guest got a personalized bucket to take home with them

Buckets were from Party City

I cut strips of vintage linens and tied them around the buckets



Im very into the personalized clothespin label lately

I used them again this past weekend for Bachelorette favor bags (post coming soon)



In the favor bags:

I wrapped Chewy Lemonheads in tissue paper and closed them with washi



 

little bracelets, more stamping and glassine bags.

 

A Lemonade Playdoh Kit

 

Bubbles...

 

Sidewalk Chalk 

And thats it for the details I think

On Instagram I may have some more pics under #sjturnsfour.

My username is jlmmomma.