"Paula Deen These are the Best cookies ever!!!"

Today is my friends birthday and I am sending her a special surprise.....
This Purse cookie jar, it is just to adorable.........Don't you think??...........And in the cookie jar I have made Paula Deen's Chocolate Gooey Butter cookies............This cookie's will delight anyone...........!!!! They are so moist and gooey and full of chocolate......You will not be able to eat just one, Honest!!!!

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

1 8-oz brick cream cheese, room temp

1 stick of butter, room temp

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (18-ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix

Powder sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in powder sugar. Place on a ungreased cookie sheet, 2 in. Apart. Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey"

Cool completely and sprinkle with more powder sugar, if desired.

"One of the best cookies I have ever eaten!

Chocolate Malted Milkshake Cupcakes

When I first tasted these cupcakes, I honestly thought they were a little on the bland side...........But after sitting in the frig over night they really seemed to improve greatly.

I decided to make these since Chocolate Malted balls were a childhood favorite candy............I still love them today.

I have to say though that I did have to explain why the straw was in the cupcake..............If you don't know that these are called "Chocolate Malted Milkshake" cupcakes............People will look at them and wonder why the straw???

The recipe I used for these came from Cupcakes Galore by Gail Wagman

"What is one of your favorite childhood candy?"

"Do you still love it today?"

Camp Out Cake

Well, it is time to say Good-bye to Summer............This morning it was so cold when I got up..........The first thing I wanted to do was light the fireplace and went to find my sweats........Brrrr.

We have spent many a night sitting out back on our patio with a fire,this summer and it has been so very relaxing after a long day..........But now we will put the fire-pit away till next year. We will miss those moments but already look forward to next year. At least Hockey preseason has started, which we love.........."Good timing!!!!!!!!!!!!"

I found this cake recipe at www.brightideas.com they have a lot of very clever ideas using M & M's and other Mars Brand candys' plus it is a fun website to visit.

I especially like the way they break it down, they give you not only the recipe but a grocery of list of what you'll need, as well as, how to adjust it to how many people you will be serving.

"Great fun for all"

Salted Peanut squares

If you love Rice Krispy Treats, as I do........ then I think you will like these Salted Peanut Squares..........This all started while I was cleaning out my pantry and noticed I had 3 boxes of almost empty but not enough for a bowl of cereal. I think we have all been there with this one especially if you have kids.

I started to think about this because I did not want to just throw it away, I started going through my recipe books, seeing if I could find something that might help me along. Wa-La...........I found it. This was found in a Pillsbury Classic cookbook dated May 1997

And here it is for me to share with you..........I did change of course the cereal mix but I think you could do this with most cereals and make your own original recipe.

Salted Peanut Squares

6 cups crisp rice cereal (I actually used only 4 cups)

Then add 1 cup Wheaties and 1 cup Bran Flakes

6 cups salted peanuts

1/2 cup butter or margarine

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 (10 1/2-oz) pkg. Miniature marshmallows

(I did use large marshmallows because that is what was in the pantry, the idea was to use this stuff up.

1. Lightly grease 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan. Place

cereal and peanuts in a very large bowl.

2. In a Dutch oven or large saucepan, melt butter and brown sugar over low heat. Stirring occasionally. Add marshmallows; stir until melted. Pour marshmallow mixture over cereal mixture, mix well. Immediately press in greased pan. Cool 10 minutes. Cut into bars

"Perfect for a, after school snack and excellent to take hiking

or any time for that matter!! "

Blue Blueberry "N" cream cupcakes

mmmm-mmmm Good.........I have had Blueberry muffins but never a Blueberry cupcake. These were so much lighter and fluffier than a muffin.....They make a great afternoon snack as well as a yummy dessert.

The only thing I don't like about working with Blueberries is the mess they can create and they stain everything..........!!!! My fingers will most likely be purple for at least a week.

The recipe for these "Blue Blueberry "N" cream cupcakes can be found in Gail Wagman's book "Cupcakes Galore"

"Blueberries are so GOOD for you"

You Never Know Where You'll Find Inspiration!!

A while back I went to dreamerstudios.blogspot.com and she had done this beautiful painting of sunflowers.......It has haunted me ever since, it made such an impression on me..........Sunflowers are one of my favorite flowers and I grew several different varieties in my garden this summer.

This I saw this Sunflower design in Pillsbury Classic Cookbook (Sept94) and thought I would make the giant cookie, for a friend who has been feeling down lately..............I can only hope this brightens up their day.

Sunflowers always bring a smile to my face

Marmalade Mogul Muffins

OOOOOOh! These we're so pretty coming out of the oven and the aroma was so comforting through out the house.
These Marmalade Mogul Muffins are a recipe from Diane Mott Davidson's book Tough Cookie............My summer reading plan was to read the whole series but I got a little slowed down last month with family obligations but no worries.............I have now started reading "Sticks and Scones" and I figure I will be finished with this series by the end of September........It's nice to be back on track. The only disappointment, I have had is someone took the recipe for Sonora Chicken Strudel out of my copy of Tough Cookie............"I mean really, how tacky is that!" So if there is some one out there in Blogger-land who has this recipe..........I would love if you would pass it on.......... Thanks

This muffins are perfect for a Sunday Morning brunch and guarenteed to be enjoyed by all

Marmalade Mogul Muffins

1/2 pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups sugar, divided

4 large eggs

2 cups buttermilk

4 3/4 cup all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons orange zest, minced

1 cup marmalade

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, beat the butter with 1 1/2 cups sugar until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well. Add buttermilk and mix throughly.

In another bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. The batter will be stiff. Stir in the zest and marmalade. Using a 1/3 cup measure, divide the batter among 28 muffin cups that have been fitted with paper cup liners.. Using the last 1/4 cup of sugar, sprinkle a teaspoon or so over each muffin

Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

"Oh YUM!!"