Sweet Sista'

Checca Sauce

2009-07-14T19:12:00.000-07:00

Despite what I may blog about, we really do eat real food -- not just dessert for every meal. Here's proof:I didn't really care much about tomatoes until a few years ago when I was in Zambia and one of our very talented volunteers made me a tomato sandwich. No turkey, no lettuce... just bread, a little mayo and lots of sliced tomatoes. Loving and devouring it probably had a little something to

A little festive for the Fourth

2009-07-04T13:10:00.000-07:00

I made this recipe a while back and thought I'd try it again for tonight's family barbecue. Again, not the fastest, but definitely worth the work. I'm no perfect star maker...it took a few tries, but I think as a finished product this little sweetie will make for a suitable decoration AND dessert. I made a few alterations to the recipe, mostly in the amount of ganache to use (and some

Can I make a suggestion?

2009-07-01T17:23:00.000-07:00

So Fourth of July is just days away. Chances are your having a little barbecue with family or friends. If you're bringing dessert, might I recommend this easy, almost no-bake, tasty treat?My mom has been making this for years -- long before I was born. The story goes that she and some friends once called it 'Better than Robert Redford,' but she decided once she had kids it needed a more

Peanut Butter Candy Bars - YUM!

2009-06-30T16:45:00.001-07:00

Here's one you're going to like -- I promise. I made this for some good friends and it got great reviews. A few of them are antsy for the recipe, so here you go:I think you could probably come up with all kinds of variations of this just by changing up the type of candy used. But the peanut theme going on in this recipe makes for a pretty great finished product.Maybe bookmark this one and

Chipster Topped Brownies

2009-06-19T11:52:00.000-07:00

There's a BIG group of baking bloggers out there who are part of a group called 'Tuesdays with Dorie'. One of them chooses a recipe and every Tuesday they post their own version of the recipe by well-known and very talented baker Dorie Greenspan. Maybe one day I'll be a Dorie devotee, but committing to doing it every week is tricky these days. But, I have definitely gotten some great recipes

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

2009-06-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

If you're looking for a quick bread, something that doesn't take a lot of time and is so reminiscent of coffee cake, and a little bit of cinnamon roll too, give this a try. I love to make it in little loaves. They make such great gifts for friends!Ingredients: * 1/3 cup sugar * 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted * 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon * 1 cup sugar * 2 cups all-purpose flour *

Strawberry Buttermilk Sherbet

2009-06-05T16:57:00.000-07:00

A kitchen confession: Our ice cream maker is not being used to it's potential. Every time I use it I think, "Why don't I do this more often?" The answer usually has something do with lack of planning because I haven't frozen the inner canister ahead of time. But I'm hoping to change that. That silly canister is in the freezer right now, because next time I want to be ready. In fact, did you

'Tis the season!

2009-05-26T17:07:00.002-07:00

No, not the Christmas season...it's berry season! Strawberries first and before too long I'll be off picking blackberries...I just love it. The sweet treat possibilities are practically endless. I've been stopping at the little berry farm sandwiched in a little field near my parent's house every few days for strawberries. Cheap, perfectly ripe and so delicious!Break from the berries for just

Cinnamon Rolls

2009-05-07T08:59:00.000-07:00

This was my first attempt at cinnamon rolls. Sure they take a while from start to finish, but that's just because of two rise times. The actual work is really nothing. On a Saturday when I'm home cleaning and being otherwise domestic, it's easy to get these made. I just have to stop what I'm doing and move on to the next step when it's time. Of course, if you're just dying to have warm rolls

Marshmallow Crunch Brownie Bars

2009-04-24T20:14:00.000-07:00

I enjoy a baking challenge, but I'm also a huge fan of some of the most simple sweets, one of those being rice krispy treats. Is there anything better you can make with four basic ingredients? (I'd love some feedback on that, by the way!) I say four instead of three, because as with pretty much everything else I make, adding in a little vanilla makes them even better! I think it's also a bit

Aloha Chip Cookies!

2009-04-16T19:11:00.000-07:00

A few nights ago my long-time friend Terra knocked on the door. Since she lives in frigid North Dakota I was pretty surprised to see her. And, I was even MORE surprised with the treats she was delivering: a perfectly ripe Dole pineapple (YUM!) and chocolate covered macadamia nuts. In North Dakota???No, you see a few days earlier Terra and her Air Force pilot husband caught a plane to Hawaii

Easter Bunnies

2009-04-11T19:21:00.001-07:00

I love having a week off of work. In addition to getting our house cleaned, laundry done and groceries bought (and NOT being stressed out about getting it all done) I really got to do some fun things. Our house is accessorized with a few new things AND I had a chance to make these.Oh, I LOVE spring break! Instead of all of those "must do's" that usually fill my Saturday, after some major hedge

Easter Basket Cupcakes

2009-04-06T16:21:00.000-07:00

Every year I get excited to make Easter Basket Cupcakes ALMOST like we did as a kid. Back then there weren't giant muffin tins and the only egg shaped candies besides a Cadbury Creme Egg were jelly beans. Times sure have changed. The Easter candy section at Target alone is out of control with WAY too many choices, which made it hard to decide just how to top this year's cupcakes. In the end,

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake Bars

2009-04-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

I know a thing or two about cheesecakes and cookies. I've definitely given myself a lot of experience and, truth be told, made some pretty tasty versions of both. So why not put them together and create an over the top, rich chocolate chip cookie dough cheesecake bars?I typically like my cookies, alone (um, sometimes even frozen!), dunked a time or two in milk, but nothing else. Cookie dough

Thick Mint Brownies

2009-03-24T16:24:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure why, but I'm not one for baking with mint very often...although after seeing so many mint/green St. Patrick's Day treats on other blogs I might change that. But, these were requested by some friends of mine, so I gave it a shot. Once again, another King Arthur Flour recipe comes through again.This is not a quick recipe, but it's worth the time and a little extra work. I read the

Chocolate Caramel Cookies

2009-03-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

Hands down, these are some of the best cookies I've made. The secret? Rolos hidden inside! They remind me of Annie's Magic in the Middles, but instead of peanut butter, there's caramel packed inside of the chocolatey goodness. Definitely give these a try...and SHARE!Chocolate Caramel Cookies2 1/2 cups flour3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa1 teaspoon baking soda1 cup sugar1 cup brown sugar1 cup butter

Pink Slip Sugar Cookie Bars

2009-03-13T15:14:00.000-07:00

So I got a layoff notice today. You'd think after 8 years of teaching I'd have enough seniority to not be bothered by these kinds of shenanigans. No such luck. Realistically, I think I'm probably going to be fine. This is just a preliminary notice, but, don't get me wrong, it's STILL lame.This notice, commonly referred to as a 'pink slip,' inspired these cute treats. No, I'm not celebrating

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

2009-03-04T18:48:00.000-08:00

I'm the cake baker when it comes to coworkers birthdays. I always ask for a flavor preference, so I can narrow down from the many recipes that I want to try. Just last week we celebrated a birthday and, even though I did ask, I knew what the answer would be from Meg: anything peanut butter and chocolate. It's the same answer every year!I spotted this recipe a while ago during an afternoon of

O-R-E-O

2009-02-25T19:15:00.000-08:00

I didn't realize when I made these homemade Oreos that Annie had already made and blogged them too! Let me just be a second witness that they are delicious. I think they're even better than Nabisco.I guess I just couldn't get enough of Oreos though because I also recently made these:Make them, try them and I dare you to just eat one. They are so rich, so chocolatey, and SO easy! This is a new

Coming back!

2009-02-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

Well, I hope. Annie's got her hands full with 2 kids and another on the way. Becky and I are teachers with busy lives who are beat at the end of a teaching day and Brittany is trying to get graduated. So, we've been busy. I can't promise I'll be consistent, but I feel pretty lame that I bake as much as I do and still don't share, at least not on the blog. For all that I bake, I definitely do

Rocky Ledge Bars

2008-08-26T20:24:00.001-07:00

I love that Annie uses marshmallows in a number of her confectionery treats. I'm a BIG fan of marshmallows. So, when I saw this Martha Stewart recipe recently, I thought I'd give it a try. I'm not a big butterscotch fan so I substituted milk chocolate chips, but I bet peanut butter chips would be good too. There's all kinds of possibilities! If you can find Kraft's new caramel bits, use

S'mores Bars

2008-08-04T16:45:00.000-07:00

I've been camping a few times this summer. What to do with all those leftover s'mores goodies... This recipe was a hit with its consumers. I made them ahead of time before I served them, but they really need to be eaten warm so I put them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving otherwise the marshmallow comes off in one bite. Not so good. These are simple to make with the help of

Blackberry Buttermilk Sherbet

2008-07-27T13:23:00.000-07:00

Alright Sistas, it's been a while, but here's something truly sweet and not ridiculously unhealthy! Despite what you may think, buttermilk is NOT full of the fat that actual butter has. It's pretty good for you. Love that!Blackberry Buttermilk SherbetOriginally from Cooking LightStraining the blackberry mixture is optional but worth the effort for the smoothest, creamiest texture.

Easy Vanilla Ice Cream

2008-04-25T13:13:00.000-07:00

It's starting to get warm again. It's supposed to be about 90 degrees on Sunday, but today is absolutely beautiful. So warmer weather means...HOMEMADE ICE CREAM! I love homemade ice cream because it gets all melty really fast. Some require making a custard first, but the reason that I love this recipe is that you can have homemade ice cream in literally minutes. There is no cooking and no

Craisin and White Chocolate Blondies

2008-04-15T13:06:00.000-07:00

When my friend first tried these she took a bite and said, "Oh, I don't like peanut butter." I told her, "Ummmm...they don't have peanut butter in them." "I swear I tasted peanut butter." She tried another bite. "Why on earth did I taste peanut butter?"Answer: I have no idea.Some possibilities could be that it has a chewy texture that some peanut butter bar cookies have or it has a TON of brown