Last Minute Peach Cobbler Cupcakes

So, after making the

Birthday Cake Rice Crispy Treats

I had nearly a whole bag of cake mix left over...

What to do?

Hmmm...

Then I remembered , I had a 

FB friend suggest making 

Peach Cobbler Cupcakes

not too long ago...

This is for you, Dylan!

Ingredients
For Cupcakes:
1/2 box Cake Mix
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1/4 cup Sour Cream
2 Eggs
2 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted
Splash Vanilla Extract

For Streusel Topping:
1/2 box Cake Mix
1 tbsp. Cinnamon
4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Handful Pecans
1/8 tsp. Salt

For Topping:
Sweet Peach Preserves or Chunky Jam
{Homemade or Store Bought will work}
Whipped Cream

Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place cake mix {I used French Vanilla, but Yellow and even Spice will work great}, buttermilk and sour cream in a mixing bowl and beat on low to mix. Add eggs, one at a time, until combined. Add butter and extract. Beat until batter has formed and is smooth. Spoon into 12 cupcake liners and set aside.

Place the rest of the cake mix into a small bowl with the cinnamon, butter, pecans and salt. Mix with your hands until streusel clumps form. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of crumbs onto the top of each cup's batter.

Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until a tooth pick comes out clean when tested in the center of a cake. *Remember, each oven bakes a little different, so please keep an eye one them.*

These cakes can be served right out of the oven or at room temperature. To finish the cupcakes, spoon a tablespoon of your chunky jam on the top of each and dollop with a little whipped cream.

It's literally an upside

down peach cobbler -

only better because

it's a CUPCAKE!

I promise

you won't even miss

the frosting!

Enjoy!

Parties I Linked To:
Topsy Turvy Tuesdays
Show Me What Ya Got - Not Just A Housewife
What I Whipped Up - Sugar and Dots
Cast Party Wednesday - Lady Behind The Curtain
Woot Woot Wednesdays - The Tootsie Wootsie
Show Off Your Stuff - Fireflies and Jellybeans

Fresh Peach and Raspberry Flaugnarde

{ said in your most southern accent! ;) }

A flan-like dessert originating in France 

{of course!}

Basically, it's fruit baked in a batter that, when cooked, has a texture somewhere between a custard and a cake.
What, WHAT!?

Sounds divine, dontcha think!

While browsing the produce today, I noticed how beautifully ripe the peaches were. I haven't done a peach dessert yet this summer {I know, WHAT is wrong with me!!}, so I grabbed a bag full and home I went to find a dish not yet conquered.

Now, I have never heard of Flaugnarde ...

But, I do like flan and other custard type recipes!

Plus, the addition of fruit HAS to just be fantastic!

So, here we go:

Grocery List:
2 ripe Peaches, peeled and sliced into wedges
4 Eggs
1/2 cup Vanilla Sugar
1 Vanilla Bean {1 tsp. Vanilla Extract can be substituted here}
4 tbsp. Unsalted Butter, melted + 2 tbsp. for greasing pan
1 cup Flour
1 cup Whole Milk
1/4 cup Raspberries {fresh or frozen}

Method:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Thoroughly grease 8-9 inch baking dish with butter. Place sliced peaches on the bottom.

In a medium size bowl, whisk eggs until mixed together. Add sugar, vanilla {if using bean, split it down the center and scrap the inside out with the end of a knife.} and melted butter and whisk until creamed. Add flour and mix until a smooth batter starts to form. Pour milk into batter and whisk until incorporated.

Pour batter over peaches and sprinkle the top with raspberries.

Bake for approx. 40 minutes. The top should be a nice golden brown and the center should be set when tested with a toothpick. Let it cool about 10 minutes before serving. This dessert is great served warm or cold.

This dish is what I like to call an

"Adult Dessert"

It's light and fresh...

and not sugary-sweet.

Using Vanilla Bean as well as Vanilla Sugar gives it a real punch of flavor and the contrast between the sweet peaches and tart raspberries just dance on the palate!

Adding a small dollop of Whip Cream {or maybe even a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream} would be a sweet touch to a warm slice, too - It would make for the perfect end to a sweltering-hot summer day! 

Enjoy and Happy Baking!

Parties I Linked To:
Sweet Tooth Fridays - Alli N Son
Feature Yourself Friday - Fingerprints On The Fridge
Sweets For A Saturday - Sweet As Sugar Cookies
Foodie Friday - Little Brick Ranch
Simply Delish - KB and Whitesnakes Home
Show And Tell - Be Different, Act Normal
Strut Your Stuff - Six Sister's Stuff
Sweet Indulgences - A Well Seasoned Life
Masterpiece Monday - Boogieboard Cottage
Amaze Me Monday - Dittle Dattle
Craft-O-Maniac Mondays
Woot Woot Wednesdays - The Tootsie Wootsie

Master Chef Inspires

Have y'all been keeping up with Gordon Ramsey's 

Master Chef?

Source

Whew! 

Huge props to those contestants! I couldn't imagine serving:

Graham Elliot

Source

Joe Bastainich

Source

-OR- Gordan Ramsey

Source

anything I've cooked! Talk about being intimidated!!

But, it sure does make for good TV!

Well, on Monday night's episode the home chefs were given the challenge of dessert with the main component being coffee or espresso. As we were watching more than half of them fail, hubs asked what I would have done.

Probably a French Macaron Trifle, I answered after a second's thought. I'm not even sure where the idea came from ... but, the moment I said it was the moment I knew I had to try it!

Chocolate Espresso French Macaron Trifle

It's basically several chocolate espresso macarons layered with espresso whipped cream. 

Whoa, right!?

It's super decadent and creamy with just the most wonderful mocha flavor. I'm gonna have to say it: Yum-o!

Alright - talk to you later!!

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Just kidding!! 

You want the recipe, doncha!?

Serves 4

12 Chocolate Espresso French Macarons

1 cup Whipping Cream

3 tbsp Powder Sugar

2 tsp Instant Coffee or Espresso Powder

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

For the macarons:

If you are lucky enough to have a French bakery in your area, feel free to buy your macarons!! However, if you are like me {living in a small town} and have no access to such, HERE is a fantastic recipe that spells everything out for ya! 

For the cream:

Start by whisking the cream on low and increase the speed as it thickens. Slowly add sugar, coffee and vanilla. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. *Watch the cream - if over beaten, it will become soupy and unusable.*

To assemble:

Start with gorgeous glasses or flutes and place a good tablespoon of cream in the bottom. Place a macaron down and then alternate, cream then cookie, until you have 3 layers. Top with a little more whip cream and a light dusting of cocoa powder or chocolate shavings.

I love this!! :) My anthem for life!!
Source

This is the WOW FACTOR our above judges are constantly referring to:

1. It's gorgeous! I mean, look at those layers of pure perfection!!
2. It's creamy mocha goodness - only the best way to end a meal!
3. It's got texture - smooth ganache meets cool whipped cream and then POW: chewy macaron fabulousness!

Have I got your wheels going yet?

Just imagine the flavor combinations:

Lemon Raspberry

Chocolate Orange

Strawberry Cream

White Chocolate Pistachio

Let your imagination run wild!!

Put this dish up for your harshest judges to try and let them vote...

I bet you'll keep your apron to cook another night!

Enjoy this awesome summer treat!

Parties I Linked Up To:

Whatever Goes Wednesday - Someday Crafts
Cast Party - Lady Behind The Curtain
Show Off Your Stuff - Fireflies and Jellybeans
Sweet Tooth Friday - Alli N Son
Sweets For A Saturday

Girl Scout Knock Off Cookies

What a wonderful time of year...

it's the perfect temperature outside,

the house is filled with gorgeous spring colors

and Girl Scout Cookies are in!

I place the same order every year:

Caramel Delights

Thin Mints

Tagalongs

So, after we ate our last cookie I started thinking about copy cat recipes...

I found a TON of Ritz Cracker Cookies to mimic the Tagalongs.

They swore they tasted just like them...well, they lied! It's good, but it's not a Tagalong.

Then, I was perusing the cookie/cracker isle when it hit me - 

Why couldn't I use Nilla Wafers?

Here's my version of the super yummy Girl Scout Cookies!

You will need:

1 box of Nilla Wafers

1/2 cup Peanut Butter {I used crunchy, but smooth would be great!}

1/4 cup Powder Sugar

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

2 tbsp. Honey

16 oz. of your favorite Chocolate

In a bowl, add peanut butter, vanilla and honey - beat with a mixer until combined. Slowly add powder sugar until well incorporated. 

Lay out 48 Nilla Wafers on some parchment paper and smooth an equal amount of the peanut butter mixture on the rounded side of each cookie. 

In a microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate by microwaving it in 30 second increments {be sure to stir after each} until completely melted. Dip each cookie until completely covered in chocolate and place back on the parchment paper. Wait until they've dried and enjoy!

What a super easy, no-bake recipe!! They are a wee bit smaller than the Girl Scout version, but that just means we can eat 2 ... or 3! Because, they're FAB-UUU-LOUS! 

Parties I Linked To:

Friday Flair @ WhipperBerry
Sweets For A Saturday
Weekend Wrap Up @ Tatertots and Jello
Craft-O-Maniac
Masterpiece Monday @ Boogieboard Cottage
Making Monday Marvelous @ C.R.A.F.T
This Week's Cravings @ MOM'S CRAZY COOKING
Try It Tuesday @ dot dot dot
Saturday Mornings
Sweet Tooth Friday - Alli N Son

Shortbread

I am on this simple kick.

Vanilla is my new favorite!

Pure ingredients with subtle flavor.

Shortbread is one of those cookies that just never gets old...and has an array of variations.

Today I made traditional Shortbread as well as a kicked up version with Earl Gray Tea.

I.heart.tea.

Iced and sweet or hot with cream...but I am in no way as much of a tea enthusiast as my sister-in-law. She has been on this super strict cleanse for the past 21 days. The poor thing has been eating rice cakes (as in the plain, unsweetened kind) with almond butter and sliced bananas on

top for dessert. Wow, right!

Well, I wanted to make her a treat so she could indulge a little on her final day of the diet.

Here is my recipe: Earl Gray Shortbread

1 cup all purpose flour

1 tbsp earl gray tea leaves

1/2 cup powder sugar

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/8 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

In a food processor, blend flour and tea. {I removed tea leaves from bags, but loose tea works just as well!} Add sugar, salt and vanilla - blend. Add butter and mix until the dough just comes together. Roll into a log and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Cut into 1/3 inch discs and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Makes a baker's dozen. {13 cookies}

These are so good - super sweet and buttery with a slight earl gray favor that doesn't over power. Not to mention, they're gorgeous with little tea specks running throughout the cookie!

Variation Ideas:

• Green Tea with Orange Zest
• Replace Tea altogether with Nuts: Crushed Almonds, Pecans or Pine Nuts
• Omit Tea and sprinkle tops of cookies with Granulated Sugar before baking and dip cooled cookies in Melted Dark Chocolate
• Roll out and cut into heart shapes for your Valentine!

Happy Baking!

Peanut Butter Bar Brownies

Have you started thinking about Valentine's Day yet?

Still unsure about what to get your sweetie?

Well, I have a SIMPLE and sure to please gift!

And, it's SUPER SWEET!

This idea came from a very sweet friend who told me about a variation of the recipe I used. When she said it was a two layer brownie with a candy bar in the center, my mind started whirling with ideas and flavor combinations.

The first one had to be peanut butter though- it's my hub's favorite!

Here's What You Need:

• Your favorite brownie recipe
• 1/2 cup chopped mini Reese's cups
• 2 large Reese's chocolate bars

I used a traditional brownie recipe I had in my recipe drawer, but you can use any your sweetie loves! You could even use a box mix if you wanted to! {Little tip: To make mixes taste

homemade, add 2 tsp. instant coffee and 1 tsp. vanilla to batter. I promise he'll never know it came from a box!} I just stirred in the chopped Reese's cups when I got the batter together.

Grease an 8x8 square pan (if you're wanting to do a 9x13, you'll have to double this recipe) and pour half the batter into the pan. Remove the candy bars' wrappers and place on top of batter. Make sure you buy the large bars {around $2/bar}, otherwise it won't fit right.

Cover the candy bars with the remaining brownie batter and bake according to your recipe's instruction.

My friend gave me the tip of reducing the cook time by 5 minutes, so that the brownies would be a little more ooey gooey. I did this and it worked perfect! Thanks so much Amanda for the awesome idea!

So, does your sweetie not really like peanut butter?

NO PROBLEM!

Try:

• Hershey or Hershey Dark
• Hershey's Cookies and Cream or Symphony
• Ghirardelli Mint, Caramel, Raspberry, etc.

Use your imagination and his favorite things to come up with the perfect recipe for your man!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

Parties I Linked To:

Sweet As Sugar Cookies

Someday Crafts
MOM'S CRAZY COOKING