Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

I'm afraid to say that these cookies didn't last 48 hours in my house. My kids, whom normally dislike raisins, ate these without issue. I had never come across a recipe where you pre-soak the raisins before and it really truly is what makes these cookies! I changed the recipe a bit by adding a dash of allspice and cloves as well as doubling the cinnamon. It was the perfect spice combo and not overwhelming to the taste at all. The raisins were plump and juicy and tasted of vanilla. These cookies were slightly crisp at the edges and still soft and wonderfully chewy in the center. Even now I am trying to convince myself not to get up off the couch and make another batch. I justified my eating one after another, after another, by the fact that they contain oatmeal and raisins. And those are healthy right? This recipe will take it's place as our favorite oatmeal cookie recipe and will definitely be made again soon. A couple of these cookies and a tall glass of milk...yum!

Butterfinger Cake

I created this cake based off of another cake we like around this house. That recipe will be posted in the next few months or so, I hope. This cake is moist, sweet, rich and amazing. It's also a short-cut cake meaning you use a box cake mix and other store bought items. I made this cake for my mom and sister. They love butterfinger, but not chocolate cakes. Most ideas for butterfinger cakes involve chocolate so I knew I needed something different. My only regret is not putting more crushed up candy bars on top.

Creme Brulee

Robbie and I were talking with our dinner guests about how we came accross this recipe. And honestly, neither of us remember exactly how it happened. It was many years ago when our favorite channel was the food network and one of our favorite shows was none other than Paula Deen ya'll. We saw her make many an item that we immediately replicated at home within days or hours. Sweet and Sour meatballs ring a bell? And so I am fairly certain that this is how we discovered this recipe.

Pot Pie

Chicken pot pie was not always my favorite meal. I didn't like the meat they put into those ones you buy pre-made at the store and often just ate the filling.

Sweet Lemon Loaf

It's no secret that I love lemons. Give me any baked item with the main ingredient of lemons and I'm your girl. I love lemonade and also eat lemons on their own. Yep, I'm one of those. Years ago when I worked I was lucky, or unlucky, enough to be about ten feet away from a Starbucks. I would go grab breakfast there nearly every morning. I'm not a coffee drinker, cant stand the stuff. But I do enjoy their baked items. My favorite used to be their lemon raspberry swirl loaf. I would often get two slices for breakfast and hope they still had some later in the afternoon to grab another slice before I headed home.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

One of my most pleasant recipe finds this holiday season had to be this pumpkin pie. Robbie and I both love pumpkin and it's tradition for us to have one on Christmas. Last year was the first year I had baked one from scratch and although it was good, it wasn't exactly what I was looking for.

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas

These have been my go to enchilada recipe for several years now. Although I cannot recall exactly where I found these, nor do I have the original recipe on hand, I have made them often enough to give you a good idea of what goes in them. Of course spices can be adjusted according to your taste preference and you could use pepperjack cheese for a little kick instead of cheddar. I think I will try that myself one day, but for now, don't fix what isn't broken right? Also, I used canned enchilada sauce but you are of course welcome to make your own at home.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Oh where do I begin. These are the most labor intensive treats I have made to date. They are super tasty, rich, sinful, filling and addictive. I couldn't stop eating them even though I knew just how much butter was in these. It was as if my body was on auto pilot and I was heading for the kitchen out of control. Before I knew it I was halfway into my second, or third, or...don't judge me.

Peppermint Meringues

 When I first saw this recipe I wanted to make them for two reasons. First in honor of my sister who lives far away from here, she's a big fan of peppermint. And secondly, because I have never tasted meringues before and they intrigued me. These were super cute because they were swirled with red and white and had a great peppermint flavor to them. They just burst and then melted in your mouth. I will be making another batch of these soon even though the holidays are behind us. They are simple and taste great, what more can you ask for in a treat?

German Apple Pancakes

My grandmother would always make us pancakes when we went to visit. They were quite different from the traditional pancakes you are probably thinking of. They are fried in a pan and we only ate them dusted with a bit of sugar. She always had apples on hand for those of us who wanted them in our pancakes.

This recipe is not quite the same in that it is baked in the oven instead of fried in a pan but it was still very tasty and brought back some fond memories. This is a perfect warm breakfast dish for the chilly winter mornings.

Banana Cream Pie "Bake Off"

Years ago while visiting Rob at school he made me a banana cream pie. Apparently it was a pie he had made many times. But that was 6 Christmases ago and he hasn't made it for me since. I found another recipe online and thought we could give it a go. Shortly after finishing this pie we decided that Rob should also make his version so we could do a side by side comparison of the two.

Eggnog Cupcakes

Alright so I might be on an eggnog kick right now. But hey, this is a special time of year and you can't have too much eggnog right? These cupcakes worried me because they do not call for any additional eggs. I made a rule a few months ago about not trying cupcakes on their own before they are frosted. I cannot seem to keep this rule and these were no exception.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

I'm a chocolate lover and a peanut butter lover. Naturally I'm a fan of both of these two working together. This was my first time making candy at home and it was quite fun. I see more candy making in my future. The filling is so smooth it almost melts in your mouth.

Eggnog Cheesecake Bites with Dulce De Leche

Eggnog is one of those special time of year treats that is always associated with Christmas. I love all things about Christmas. The movies, the music, the decorations, the baking, the reminder that Jesus, my savior, was born. These things all combine to give me the warm fuzzies. But I have a confession...

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Believe it or not the weather down here in California is pretty chilly. We are going to see rain for a good week starting tomorrow. It might, just might, reach a high of 60 degrees. When the weather cools down it usually means it is time for some hearty filling warm soup.

I had not ever made soup from scratch before so I was a bit nervous. This soup was incredibly tasty and simple. Most of all it was quick to prepare. I am already planning to make a second batch of this in a few days.

Gingerbread Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Icing

I love gingerbread. Well, I guess I should say I love the idea of gingerbread because most gingerbread items are way too spiced for my tastes. I always cut down the amount of spice I add. My kids also enjoy the more milder versions.

Snickerdoodle Cupcakes

Every morning when I get up one of the first things I do after getting the kids their breakfast is sit down and check the blogs that I follow. These ladies are amazing and are always supplying me with wonderful new recipes and ideas to try. This recipe was on Annie's Eats this morning and since we're fans of the cookie I thought I would see how these turned out. Hers are much much prettier than mine, I only have a small star tip, but they taste wonderful.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

You know you have a baking problem when you're sitting on the couch, the kids are napping so the house is finally quiet, and all you can think about is what do you have on hand in the kitchen that you can throw together to make some sort of baked item. A cookie, a cupcake, a muffin or brownies. Well this is what I had on hand and this is what I made.

Lemon Frosted Lemon Cake

Robbie and I both love lemons! And this cake was moist yet dense and full of lemon flavor. The icing was sweet and tart. The fragrance of the batter is amazing! Next time I will leave out the lemon zest as neither of us are fans of it but it certainly does add to the aroma of the cake. This cake could be eaten in the morning with your coffee or as a dessert. I found myself nibbling on it throughout the entire day. In fact we had already dug into it before I remembered to take a picture!

Chocolate Banana Muffins

While browsing one of my favorite blogs I found this recipe posted there. My kids will eat nearly anything that comes out of the oven in cupcake shape without questioning it. They love chocolate and banana flavors so I thought we'd give this one a try.