Dear Betty Crocker

Dear Betty Crocker,

What's up with your weird preparation instructions?

Today, I bought a box of your Triple Chunk Brownie mix to prepare as a snack for my husband and I. You see, I have been making these brownies for YEARS, but today I noticed that on your box, you completely neglected to tell me the baking time for a 13"x9" dark pan. I was confused.

This explains why my brownies were thin, and after two hours of sitting, were hard as a rock.

You explain how to bake them in a 13"x9" dark pan at a high altitude, but I don't live in an area of high altitude.

Please improve your instructions, otherwise, I will have to pass.

Thanks,
Jessica

P.S. I want my brownies to look like this:






























I found the picture here.

Pretty or Chocolate?

A cake auction at work will be held next week, and I'd really like to bake something. A cake, cheesecake, brownies, really any dessert is acceptable.

Thanks to Martha Stewart, I found two desserts I adore. One reason is because of the appearance, the other, purely because it's chocolate. Check out my favorites:









































1) Ruffle Tower Cake 2) Chocolate Roulade

Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake

I am in love with this cake!

First of all, it's chocolate. Second, if it contains the word "truffle" (chocolate truffle), I am automatically in love. Third, if your name is Truffle, I love you! Fourth, I just want to make this cake and gobble it all up by myself. No sharing! Lastly, I know this picture isn't good, but, you get the point:

The recipe is very long, and very detailed, but if you want it, you can find it here.

Cinnamon Bun Photography

I love Cinnamon Buns, which is why I love these photographs by Minimalist Photography 101. Don't you just love that drizzly icing?! Mmmm....

If you have a good recipe for these, I'd be willing to give it a try.

Pretty in Pink Cupcake

I just found this delicious, pink cupcake on Flickr and I wanted to share it with you. Sweet and simple.

Masculine Dessert Table by Kara's Party Ideas

Next year, I want to do something like this for my husband's birthday. I love this dessert table, and I love the fact that it's not girlie. Something perfect for guys... sweets, without the girls pink bunting.

Visit Kara's Party Ideas to see all of her great party planning ideas.

Flag Cake by Serious Eats

Memorial Day is just around the corner, and I must try this recipe. I found it on Serious Eats, and it's the most unique cake I have ever seen. I can't imagine how you could make the inside of a cake look like that. Check it out for yourself:

food photography by matt armendariz

This post will make you want to lick the screen, so brace yourself.

Today, I came across the Website of Matt Armendariz, a phenomenal food photographer based in Long Beach, California. I browsed through is many food photographs, and fell in love with practically every item. You must visit his Website. Here's a few of my favorite photos:

gautier cupcakes of love

I just love these cupcakes created by Gautier Cakes. They really put me in the mood for Valentine's Day.





































Photo is the property of Gautier Cakes.

candy apple salad

On New Year’s Day, my husband and I attended his Aunt’s yearly holiday dinner. This year, the food was AWESOME!

First of all, his aunt opened me up to a whole new world of barbecue sauces. Well, maybe not a new world, but, a new sauce that I had never even heard of… and the sauce is on every grocery store shelf in America. It’s called Sweet Baby Ray’s Barbecue Sauce, and it is probably the best I have ever had. I immediately began salivating at the smell of the barbecue, but when I sunk my teeth into the sandwiches… wow! I was in paradise. But, one of my favorite parts of the evening was trying a new dessert that I am now addicted to, and it’s called Candy Apple Salad.

The recipe his aunt made featured apples and Milky Way candy bar chunks mixed in with a creamy cool whip + cream cheese topping with walnuts. I am yet to ask her for the recipe specifics, however, I did find a similar one that I am making for us tonight! Here’s just a little peek… once I try the recipe, I will give you the full report.

my pottery barn wish list

Every girl has her wish list, right? I sure do, and my weakness has always been {and will always be} Pottery Barn. For now, I have a couple of items in mind that I would love to have by the Summer. Cake pedestals and this awesome galvanized drink caddy. Check them out!

sugar cookie buttons

A good resource for recipes with a picture of the final product is Flickr. Today, I visited Flickr in search of some cookies, and look what I found! Sugar Cookie Buttons, and that's not all. Minzimiu's Flickr page even included the recipe.


























Ingredients:

• 2 cups all purpose flour (plus more for work surface)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Gel - paste food coloring in pink and green
• Sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions:

1. Whisk together flour , salt, and baking powder in a large bowl; set aside. Put butter and granulated sugar into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy.Mix in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until combined. Divide dough into thirds. Knead pink food coloring into 1 piece and green into another. Shape all 3 pieces into disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1hour.

2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove 1 disk from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature until slightly soft, 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a piece of lightly floured parchment to a 1/8 - inch thickness, dusting with flour as needed. Cut out circles with a 1 3/4 inch round cutter, then lightly press with a 1 1/2 inch round cutter. Make button holes with a skewer. Re-roll scraps, and cut.(If dough becomes too soft,refrigerate 10 minutes) Repeat with remaining dough. Space 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with sanding sugar.

3. Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool completely. Cookies can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature up to 1 week.

♥ Enjoy!

orange cream soda cupcakes

Check out these scrumptious Orange Cream Soda Cupcakes I found on Vanessa Contessa's blog. They look so delicious, I wanted to share the recipe. I divided the ingredients and directions between the actual cupcake recipe and the orange buttercream icing recipe.


















Cupcake Ingredients and Directions:

• 1 cup butter
• 2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 bottle of Orange soda
• 1 tablespoon fresh orange zest

Cream butter and sugar until well blended. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Sift flour and baking soda. Add to mixture alternately with orange soda. Add vanilla. Pour into cupcake liners and bake at 350 degrees for 22-25 minutes. Cool completely.


Orange Buttercream Ingredients and Directions:

• 1 cup butter
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Whip butter. Add powdered sugar and orange juice alternately. Add zest and vanilla. Whip for 3 minutes and pipe onto cupcakes. Garnish with an orange candy.

non-traditional smores

Several years ago, I stumbled across a non-tradition recipe for smores that I still use to this day.

You see, I have never been a fan of warm, melted marshmallows. Sure, as a kid I loved to cram 3 marshmallows on a stick and wave them around in the campfire, but it stopped there. I simply prefer marshmallow at room temperature.

This non-traditional smore recipe that I use is very simple, and to me, it is the best way to prepare a smore.

Ingredients:

• Hershey bars
• Graham crackers
• Marshmallow Creme
• peanut butter

Directions:

1. Top 1 Graham cracker with the desired amount of peanut butter, chocolate, and Marshmallow Creme.

2. Eat and enjoy.

























Picture located in Silverday's Etsy shop.

oreo truffle recipe

A couple of years ago, I took my first bite of Oreo Truffles and immediately had to get the recipe. Now, I want to share the recipe with you, and trust me, you will love these!

Ingredients:

• 1 package of Oreo cookies
• 1 (8 ounce) package of Cream Cheese, softened
• White chocolate or Vanilla bark (you will need to buy enough for 32 servings)

Directions:

1. Crush the entire package of Oreos using a food processor. Cookies should be very fine, not chunky.

2. Combine the crushed Oreos and the package of cream cheese in a large bowl. Mix together with your hands, mashing the cookies and cream cheese together.

3. Roll into 1" balls, and place on a wax-covered cookie sheet.

4. Freeze Oreo balls for 1 hour.

5. Remove Oreo balls from the freezer.

6. Melt the bark as instructed on the package.

7. Stick a toothpick into the frozen Oreo ball, to allow for easier dipping method.

8. Dip the Oreo ball into the bark, covering all areas of the ball. Place the truffle back onto the wax-covered cookie sheet. OR, for a decorative drizzle appearance like the picture above, use a spoon to drizzle the melted bark over the Oreo ball.

9. Refrigerate all Oreo truffles until coating is firm and cool (I usually refrigerate mine for a minimum of 3 hours).

10. Eat and become addicted!


Photograph is the property of Make a Whisk.