Where Did March Go!?

So I did some spring cleaning 2 weekends ago...Apparently, a clean apartment is what really inspires me to get a lot of crafting done :D (Aren't you glad I uncovered my camera in the process!?)

The following are a few snippets of what I accomplished in my kitchen this weekend

BANANA PUDDING PIE (from kraftrecipes.com)

 1 1/4 cups Nilla Wafers, finely crushed

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) margarine, melted

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) Cool Whip Whipped Topping

3 ripe bananas, sliced

2 pkg (1 oz. each) Vanilla Instant Pudding

3 cups cold milk

Mini chocolate chips for decoration

1. Mix crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 13x9-inch dish. Refrigerate.
2. Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with whisk until blended. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Cool Whip; spread over crust. Top with bananas
3. Beat pudding mixes and milk with whisk 2 min.; spread over bananas. Top with remaining Cool Whip and mini-chocolate chips. Refrigerate 3 hours.
4. ENJOY!!! :D

NANAIMO BARS 

(inspired from a family trip to Churchill, Manitoba several years ago; recipe origin unknown)

 

 

Bottom Layer
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 egg, beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

1. melt butter in saucepan over low heat
2. stir in sugar & cocoa powder
3. add/whisk in beaten egg
4. cook until thickens (approximately 1-2 minutes)
5. remove from heat & add all other ingredients
6. press into bottom of 13x9-inch pan
7. cover & refrigerate approximately 1 hour, until firm

Middle Layer
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2-3 Tbl. milk or cream
2 Tbl. vanilla pudding powder
2 cups powdered sugar

1. cream butter
2. add remaining ingredients
3. spread over bottom layer
4. cover & refrigerate approximately 30 minutes, until firm

Top Layer
4 oz. (1/2 cup) semisweet chocolate, chopped (chips work well too)
1 Tbl. unsalted butter

1. melt chocolate & butter in double boiler (or microwave)
2. spread over middle layer & refrigerate

Cut with a sharp knife & ENJOY!!! :D

SUGAR COOKIE SANDWICHES (recipe origin unknown)

*NOTE* I have not finished this particular project for Easter yet...

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened at room temperature
1 egg, room temperature
3 Tbl. half-and-half
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. in medium bowl combine flour, powder & salt, set aside
2. cream butter & sugar
3. combine egg, half-and-half and vanilla in small bowl, add to creamed mixture
4. carefully incorporate flour mixture and blend well
5. chill dough for 1 hour for easier rolling
6. on a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes
7. place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper
8. bake for 6-7 minutes in a 400 degree oven, or until lightly brown
9. cool on sheets for approximately 10 minutes and remove to cooling rack

Sugar Cookie Icing
2 tsp. milk
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
assorted food coloring

1. in a small bowl, stir together the milk and confectioner sugar until smooth.
2. beat in corn syrup and the vanilla extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If the icing is too thick, add additional corn syrup to thin slightly.
3. add food colorings to the preferred color intensity. 
4. pipe icing with Ziploc bag or decorator icing tubes and tips
5. decorate & ENJOY!!! :D

*NOTE CONTINUED* I intend to spread icing on the bottom halves, top with the cut-out tops and then fill in each of the little animal shapes. With the remaining dough I made a few of the cutest little sugar cookies that you have probably set your eyes upon...

CAKE MIX COOKIES WITH EASTER M&M's (recipe origin unknown)

1 pkg. cake mix, any flavor
1 egg
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1 bag M&M's

1. preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. combine all ingredients
3. beat until well blended
4. drop onto baking sheets covered with parchment paper
5. bake for 15 minutes, until tops are crackly
6. cool on baking sheets for approximately 10 minutes and remove to cooling rack
7. ENJOY!!! :D

OREO TRUFFLES (from bakerella.com)

1 pkg. Oreo sandwich cookies
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 pkg. (14 oz.) Wilton candy coating

1. crush cookies in food processor (use the entire cookie) and transfer to a large mixing bowl
2. stir in cream cheese until everything is evenly incorporated
3. roll into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet covered in wax/parchment paper
4. melt candy coating in the microwave (30 second intervals, stir until smooth)
5. drop cooled balls into melted candy coating and coat using a spoon
6. lift coated balls out of coating, tap spoon on edge of bowl to remove excess
7. return to wax paper to cool/harden
8. decorate using more melted candy coating and a Ziploc/piping bag
9. ENJOY!!! :D (super-duper yummy when refrigerated)

I really like to dress these up by placing the finished truffles into mini-cupcake wrappers...my coworkers/friends seem to think that this presentation makes the truffles look awfully professional :P


And with that little note...I think that it is time to finish this post and get some sleep. I'll leave you with a photo of a cute Peeps bunny I picked up at the grocery store and a close-up of the cupcake wrappers used in the Oreo truffles above. I hope to be back tomorrow with more news of my adventures in crochet/knit and sewing land :D