b-a-n-a-n-a bread.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter

2 eggs

2 c. flour

4 Tbsp. milk

1 tsp. baking soda

3 mashed bananas

1/2 c. pecans (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

Mix the above ingredients together.

Bake in 9x13 pan at 325 degrees for 50 minutes. This can make 2 loafs.

Icing:

1 mashed banana

1/2 c. pecans (optional)

1 Tbsp. butter

1 box powdered sugar (of have of a bag)

Put on while bread is hot.

chocolate-chocolate chip cookies.

Ingredients:

1 c. butter, softened

1 1/2 c. white sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 c. all purpose flour

2/3 c. cocoa powder

3/4 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

2 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vailla until light and fluffy. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; stir into the butter mixture until well blended. Mix in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Drop by rounded teasponfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

3. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until set. Cool slightly on the cookie sheets before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

sugar cookies.

Ingredients:

1 egg

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 c. butter or margarine

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. cream of tarter

Mix all ingredients together. Stir until soft dough forms. Divide dough in half. Wrap in plastic and chill for 3 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Use lightly greased baking sheet. Roll out dough and cut Bake for 5-7 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned.

Decorating Icing:

4 c. powdered sugar

1/3 c. milk

3/4 tsp. food coloring

1/2 tsp. mint extract (optional, could use vanilla)

1/4 c.-1/2 c. butter

Mix everything together, spread on cookies and sprinkle with added decorations before icing dries.

baked pumpkin bread.

ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup solid pack pumpkin puree
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 
  

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees F.

2. Sift the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a large bowl. Mix in the pumpkin, brown sugar, buttermilk, egg and butter until well blended. Pour into a 9x5 inch loaf pan and smooth the top.

3. Bake for 1 hour in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

classic [whoopie] pies.

{ingredients}:

1/2 c. shortening

1 c. sugar

1 tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

1 1/4 c. buttermilk or sour milk

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla

2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour

2/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Creamy filling

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat shortening with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat in buttermilk, egg, and vanilla until combined. In a medium bowl, stir together the flour and cocoa powder. Beat in as much of the flour mixture as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour mixture.

2. Drop dough from a rounded measuring tablespoon 2 1/2 inches apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet (Keep mounds of dough in nicely rounded shapes). Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until the edges are firm. Cool on cookie sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; let cool.

3. Spread the flat sides of half the cookies with a rounded tablespoon of Creamy Filling. Top with the remaining cookies, flat side down. Makes about 16 sandwich cookies.

Creamy Filling:

In a small saucepan, combine 3/4 c. milk and 1/4 c. all-purpose flour. Cook and serve over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat; cool. In a large bowl, beat 3/4 c. softened butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in 2 c. powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in 1 tsp. vanilla. Beat cooled milk mixture, one large spoonful at a time, into butter mixture. Beat on high for 1 minute or until filling is smooth and fluffy.

{sweet} sandies.

{ingredients}:

1c. butter

1/3c. sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

2 tsp. water

2c. all-purpose flour

1c. chopped pecans

Multi-colored nonpareils or

1/4c. powdered sugar

Beat butter for 30 seconds. Add sugar. Beat til fluffy. Add vanilla and water. Beat well. Stir in flour and pecans. Shape into one inch balls or 1 1/2 x 1/2 inch fingers. Roll in nonpareils. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

-- optional: Gently shake a few cookies in a ziploc bag with powdered sugar after cooling instead of rolling in nonpareils before baking.

Makes 36.

let's bake cake.

so i have decided

due to my surplus of free time,

i will finally get this baking/cooking blog going.

this should be exciting!

x0x0, natalie