Do these Doodle's....

 Simple Snickerdoodles!

Sugary and Sweet! Yum!

Ingredients:

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup pure vegetable shortening
• 1 3/4 cups sugar, plus more if needed
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
• 2 large eggs

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees, with one rack in top third and one rack in bottom third of oven. Line baking sheets with Silpat baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
2. Sift together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine butter, shortening, and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, and beat to combine. Add dry ingredients, and beat to combine.
3. In a small bowl, combine remaining 1/4 cup sugar and the ground cinnamon. Use a small (1 1/4-ounce) ice-cream scoop to form balls of the dough, and roll in cinnamon sugar. Place about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake until the cookies are set in center and begin to crack (they will not brown), about 10 minutes, rotating the baking sheets after 5 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to cool about 5 minutes before transferring the cookies to the rack. Makes about 4 dozen

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Snickerdoodles - Martha Stewart Recipes

Shortbread cookies!

Ingredients

nocoupons

• 3/4 pound unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 to 7 ounces very good semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.


In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter and 1 cup of sugar until they are just combined. Add the vanilla. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and salt, then add them to the butter-and-sugar mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together. Dump onto a surface dusted with flour and shape into a flat disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for 30 minutes.


Roll the dough 1/2-inch thick and cut with a 3 by 1-inch finger-shaped cutter, basic circles or any shape you desire. Place the cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges begin to brown. Allow to cool to room temperature.


When the cookies are cool, place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Put 3 ounces of the chocolate in a glass bowl and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. (Don't trust your microwave timer; time it with your watch.) Stir with a wooden spoon. Continue to heat and stir in 30-second increments until the chocolate is just melted. Add the remaining chocolate and allow it to sit at room temperature, stirring often, until it's completely smooth. Stir vigorously until the chocolate is smooth and slightly cooled; stirring makes it glossier.


Drizzle 1/2 of each cookie with just enough chocolate to coat it.

Enjoy! 

Lemon Bars!

My Grandma Always told me

when life gives you LEMONS.... 

 Make Lemon BARS!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 lemons, juiced

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, blend together softened butter, 2 cups flour and 1/2 cup sugar. Press into the bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.
3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until firm and golden. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/4 cup flour. Whisk in the eggs and lemon juice. Pour over the baked crust.
4. Bake for an additional 20 minutes in the preheated oven. The bars will firm up as they cool, cut into uniform 2 inch squares.

Yummm!

 

Happy National MARGARITA Day!!

Did you know that February 22 is National Margarita Day? 

 

If not, don’t worry. There are still plenty of hours left in the day to fulfill your margarita requirement. The only question is: how will you get it done? Whether it’s after-hours drinks or an extra-long business lunch (we won’t tell!), the most important thing is that you celebrate National Margarita Day 2011 in style.

Here's a Great Margarita Recipe to help you celebrate! 

It takes less then 5 Mins and makes 1 Rockin' Cocktail

What to buy: 

All self-respecting margaritas are made with only 100 percent agave tequila (we like to use the high-quality Cuervo 1800, Patrón Silver, Herradura, or Don Julio) and Cointreau.

Ingredients:

• Salt, for rimming the glass (optional)
• Ice
• 1 1/2 ounces tequila (blanco, 100 percent agave)
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1/2 ounce Cointreau (not Triple Sec)

Directions:

1. If using salt, place in a shallow dish. Moisten the rim of a rocks glass with a dampened paper towel, then dip in salt.
2. Fill the glass with ice; add tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau; and stir a few times until chilled. Serve immediately.

!SALUD! CHEERS!! 
Dont forget "one Tequila, two tquila, three tequila, FLOOR." Drink Responsibly! 

Recipe from: http://www.chow.com/recipes/10643-perfect-margarita

chocolate-chocolate chip cupcakes!

 A moist mini cupcake recipe....
Devil's food cake with cocoa and creamy vanilla frosting. 
Decorated with Mini Chocolate Chips.

Perfect Bite Size Treats!

Devil's Food Cake:

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
• 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 1/4 cups milk, scalded
• 2 cups cake flour, sifted or stirred before measuring
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup shortening
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350°  and prep mini-cupcake(or mini-muffin) tray with liners. Sift the cocoa with 1/3 cup sugar; pour into the milk gradually; stir until well blended. Set aside to cool. Sift together flour, remaining 1 cup sugar, soda, and salt. Add shortening and half of the cooled cocoa and milk mixture. Beat at medium speed of an electric hand-held mixer. Add eggs, vanilla, and remaining cocoa and milk mixture. continue beating for about 2 minutes, scraping bowl with a spatula occasionally. Pour into prepared tray. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes. Cool in the pans for at least 5 minutes.

While they cool, prepare your frosting with the recipe below.


Creamy Vanilla Frosting:

Ingredients:

• 3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream

Directions: 
In a mixer fitted with a whisk, mix together sugar and butter. Mix on low speed until well blended and then increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for spreading consistency. Select Pipping tip, bag frosting and decorate. 
FYI: If not eating immediately these may need to be refrigerated.

Finishing Step: 
Sprinkle with Mini Chocolate chips for decoration!

The best cookie of 1940!

By far one of my most treasured heirlooms is my Great Grandmothers Betty Crocker cookbook from the 1940'S! I love it, not only because it was special to her, but  for the comments and interesting facts included in the classic recipes. Here is what the book says about the Chocolate Chip cookie: 

 "NEW COOKY SWEEPS THE NATION" this luscious cooky from the New England toll house, Whitman Mass., enjoyed immediate and continuing popularity. it was introduced to homemakers in 1939 on the radio series 'Famous Food from Famous Places'".

These chocolate chip cookies are perfect and of-course always a crowd-pleaser. In high school my coaches and teachers enjoyed them so much that they self-implemented a Kelly Cookie Club and they asked me to bring them these cookies often! 

Chocolate chip cookies

Ingredients:

Keep an eye on them while they are in the oven!

2/3 cup shortening ( part butter or margarine)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 cups gold medal flour
1/2 tsp. Soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat oven to 375. Mix shortening, sugars, egg and vanilla thoroughly. Measure flour by dipping method or by sifting. Stir dry ingredients together; blend in. mix in chocolate chips. Drop rounded tablespoons of dough about 2" apart on an ungreased baking shett. Bake 7-9 mins. or until golden brown.

TIP:  I prefer to take them out when they still look soft and doughy, Let them sit on the baking sheet and cool then remove them. The hot baking sheet continues to cook the bottom to help hold these yummy cookies together!

Warning: These cookies seem to magically disappear!

Feb. 14th!

Cake Pop's!

I first saw Cake Pop's on www.bakerella.com, I immediately started searching for a easy recipe! I was so excited to make these because they looked so cute! The recipe I found is based on a mix, but I imagine you can follow the same directions using a cake baked from scratch and frosting, someday when I have more time I will try that. 

Ingredients for Red Velvet Cake Pop's:
1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 x 9)
1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
1 package white chocolate bark


Other items/tools:
wax paper
Sticks (Wilton sells cookie and craft sticks)
Sprinkles
Ribbon

Directions:
1. Bake cake as directred on box. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.)
4. Add Sticks to the balls then Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)

Add caption

5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.) Only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot.
7. Immediatly after dipping the balls into the chocolate, roll them into sprinkles and lay on wax paper until firm.

I used multiple colors and different types of ribbon to decorate the Pop's with. I think this made them more fun and festive! I also attached a few valentine cards to some of the pops (I don't have pictures of these on here) but the personal valentines added a special touch. 

Cake Pop's decorated for Valentine's day!

Classic Sugar Cookies are everyone’s favorite.

Decorate with a fancy glaze or sprinkles and cut in a festive shape, no doubt these cookies are sure to be the hit at any occasion. 

Today I was  making  all different sized heart sugar cookies for Valentines day! My mom decorated these ones yellow and blue (Soquel High School Colors) because she gave them to my little sisters basketball team as favors.  Maybe I will make some Basketball shaped ones for her next game!

Little & Big Hearts!

Ingredients for Sugar Cookies:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

Icing/Glaze for One Dozen Sugar Cookies:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk (plus a few drops if needed for consistency)
few drops vanilla or lemon (or other flavoring, optional)
few drops coloring (if desired)

Other Decorations/Equipment:
sprinkles (if desired)
Cookie Cutters, the recipe bakes about 3 dozen cookies depending on the size of your cutters

• In an electric mixer cream butter and add sugar and salt. Add vanilla and egg. Add flour and mix. Dough will be sticky-ish.  Gather dough and cover,  allow dough to chill for 1/2 hour in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.

• Lightly flour board and rolling pin. The less flour you use the more delicate your cookies will be. Place dough on board. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place cookies on baking sheet. NOTE: If using colored sugars, sprinkle with sugars before baking. Bake in a preheated 325(f) oven for 13 minutes. Cookies will be pale on top and slightly golden on the bottom. Allow to cool before icing.

• In a mixing bowl, run whisk through powdered sugar to remove lumps. Add milk to powdered sugar. Whisk vigorously (no lumps!). Add coloring of choice, vanilla (if desired) and whisk again. Use the back of a spoon and carefully ice cookies. Add sprinkles for some extra bling. 

Soquel High Colors.... Not very pink but defiantly festive!

Pizzeria a Kellyia!

During a trip to Italy this past summer I had the best PIZZA! Actually, BEST is an understatement, it was mouth-watering and so delicious I sometimes contemplate booking a flight back to Rome, with the sole purpose of going to Trastevere to have that pizza. 


Ever since we indulged in that pizza my dad and I have been on a mission: find a restaurant or a recipe that is comparable... The simplicity of the Italian pizza has been nearly impossible to duplicate, however the other night in an attempt to make a Margarita pizza,(with little time...) I had my first experience with pre-made Pillsbury dough. It was a success! 

I hope you try out this EASY recipe and I will continue to post my many attempts at making a traditional Italian pizza. p.s. I'm now accepting donations to fund a pizza brick oven to continue my research! 

INGREDIENTS

1 can (11 oz) Pillsbury refrigerated thin pizza crust

1 jar (8 oz) pizza sauce ( I used the Trader Joe's Pizza Sauce and added Fresh Basil)

6 tablespoons fresh chopped Basil

1 Package fresh Mozzerella cheese, (best if you use the fresh kind that comes in water)

Optional: 1/2 package of Pepperoni

Directions:

• Heat oven to 400 F. Spray or grease 15x10-inch or larger dark or nonstick cookie sheet. Also place a pizza brick in the oven if you have one, this will help with the heat.
• Spead pizza sauce evenly on the crust, (I used less then half the jar)
• Sprinkle half the basil into the pizza sauce, then add toppings.  This time I made a half Margarita and half Pepperoni pizza... I did this by slicing the fresh mozzerella and plaing them aboout a half inch apart. the pepperoni side i used shredded mozerella and then placed the pepperoni on as you can see in the picture.
• Last step: Spinkle remaining basil ontop of pizza topping then place in the oven.
• Bake the thin crust 9 to 13 minutes, or until crust edges are golden brown and cheese is melted

 

yummy pizza, although not from Italy it was still deliziosa!

 

SuperBowl Sunday... I need an appetizer to please many!!

These tiny taco treats in wonton crusts 

make mouthwatering appetizers

This recipe requires a Mini Muffin pan! (you'll learn that I love mini sized treats!) 

Tiny Taco's

  Ingredients:  

• 24  wonton wrappers
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 package taco seasoning mix
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 cup Chunky Salsa
• 4 ounces shredded cheese
• Sour Cream
• 1 small can chopped black olives
• 1 Avocado 

Won-ton shells in the mini muffin tray

after baked shells are topped off!

Directions:

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.  Press the wonton wrappers into the mini muffin-pans
2. Chop the onion and Saute it in a 10-inch skillet
3. Add the beef  to the same skillet and cook over medium-high heat until it's well browned, stirring often to break up the meat. Pour off any fat. Stir in the taco seasoning mix and water per the seasoning directions.
4. Spoon the beef mixture into the wonton cups. Top with the shredded cheese.
5. Bake for 5 minutes or until the wontons are golden brown and the cheese is melted.
6. Garnish with sour cream, avocado and olives, if desired. Serve immediately with additional salsa.

Appetizers ready for the Superbowl Party!!

 

I love where I live!

It's February and the rest of the country is experiencing bone-chilling temperatures.... but not in Santa Cruz, It was in the 70's today!! The warm weather was a perfect excuse for an impromptu walk. Today my boyfriend Bobby and I took a walk on the cliffs in my neighborhood... I love the beach and the warm weather, two reasons I will always live in California.

Sunny Cove Beach- Santa Cruz, CA

 p.s. look close.... YES, those are people in their bikini's, you would think its August not February!

un-Believeble Brownies!

Personally I think these are the best brownies in the whole world!!!
Try them out and let me know what you think! My family and friends always love this classic delicious treat. Sometimes I top them off with chocolate frosting, either pre-made from the store or made from scratch, to make them even more delectable!

Here's what you need:

• 1/2 cup(s) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 4 ounce(s) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Baking Bar
• 1/2 cup(s) (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces
• 1 cup(s) firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon(s) pure vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) baking powder
• 3/8 teaspoon(s) salt 

Directions 
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter and flour an 8-inch square baking pan. 
Chop the 4 ounces of semi sweet chocolate bars into 1-inch pieces. 
In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the 4 chopped chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. 
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool to room temperature. 
Stir the brown sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. 
Add the eggs and mix well. In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. 
Slowly fold the flour mixture into the chocolate mixture, mixing well until blended. 
Stir in the chocolate chips and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
  
  Remove from the oven and cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting into 2-inch squares.
  
  
  Last Step:  Enjoy! Dont forget to have some cold milk waiting in the fridge!
  

LOVE THIS

Isn't this video great?!