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Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake


Just because I like you.  Happy Tuesday!

I have also made this cheesecake with chopped up Reese's cups decorating the top instead of peanut butter chips, and I prefer that version!

Friday, April 19, 2013

Double Oreo Chocolate Cheesecake {Basic Chocolate Cheesecake}


If this picture doesn't make your tummy grumble, you're probably an alien.

Just sayin.


I honestly had problems writing this because I was so distracted by this staring me in the face. It really is as good as it looks.  Creamy & chocolatey.

This is my very favorite recipe for basic chocolate cheesecake as well- just omit the Oreos and you can adapt it any way you choose.  Some day I'm swirling caramel into this baby.


Thursday, April 18, 2013

Moist Carrot Cake


I am picky about carrot cake.  Raisins are not acceptable in carrot cake.* Pineapple is SO not acceptable in carrot cake!  Pecans however, are necessary.  (This is where me and my husband disagree.)

Not too many pecans, just enough to add a little bit of texture, you know?

I like to go a little heavy on the spices and to slather the whole thing in cream cheese frosting.  This cake is totally worth the 20 minutes it takes to finely grate the carrots!  (Anybody else have an aversion to grating things?  Seriously, I would rather swallow staples.)

What's your favorite way to enjoy carrot cake?

Chocolate-dipped Strawberry "Carrots"


Let this day be known in history, as the day I got my 3 year old to eat a vegetable.

It was actually like a month ago, but we can still celebrate right?

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Coconut Cream Cake


Ok.  See?  Freaky pictures.

Pretend to ignore and we can be friends.   It gets better, I promise.


I'm feeling a little bit lost with no holidays to prepare for.  Halloween through Easter has been a whirlwind of baking and trying to cram in everything I want to make and now my baking schedule is completely free until the 4th of July comes around.  It's a nice feeling actually.  I get to wrack my brain for delicious treats to invent instead of plowing through the 3 pages of bookmarked recipes on my computer.

This baby is a cake I make every year around Easter and it is the moistest cake everr.  It is a poke cake, drizzled with cream of coconut and has a fantastic coconut flavor.  It needs to be eaten within 2 days because it is so moist, but you shouldn't have problems getting rid of it.

Just to be clear, Cream of Coconut is that sweet syrupy stuff, often found in a can, over on the mixers aisle  (by the soda).  Look for Margarita mix and it's probably sitting on the shelf next to that.  I have yet to find a store that doesn't carry it, sometimes you just have to poke around a little bit.  Coconut milk, or Coconut Cream (non-sweetened) are NOT the same and will not yield the same results.  The brand I buy is Coco Lopez.  Check the back.   If there are a bazillion-ty calories in 2 Tbsp, and sugar is one of the first ingredients, you've got the right stuff.  Cream of Coconut is a great way to add a strong coconut flavor without adding gritty chunks of coconut to whatever you are baking!


Friday, April 12, 2013

Peanut Butter Monster Cookies


If you looked at my picture and thought it looked odd, just know that my husband bought me a DSLR awhile back.  I have been... "experimenting" lately with my photos.  Everything I have to post in the next 2 weeks or so looks kind of crazy but I think I finally have it figured out!

(maybe.)

These cookies are great big fat cookies, for those times when your chocolate cravings make you feel like a raging monster.

Obvs.

Also they are monster-sized.  (We're talking a small-ish monster here, not one of those full-sized giants from Harry Potter or anything. So the appropriate serving size is two instead of five.)

How healthy of us!