As a kid Snickerdoodle's were one of my favourite cookies, so when I stumbled upon this recipe it was like finding the a treasure!  Favourite cookie flavour as a cupcake?  Yes, please!  Now to tell you the truth I was probably about ten the last time I ate a snicker-doodle cookie but making these really brought back my love of them!  And they're so easy!  Give them a try and let me know what you think. 

Snicker-doodle Cupcake Recipe 
Makes 24 Cupcakes 

Ingredients

Cupcakes 

• Yellow Cake Mix, plus ingredients needed as listed on the box
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Vanilla Butter-cream Frosting

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2-3 tbsp milk

Cinnamon Sugar Sprinkle

• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions
For Cupcakes:

1. Prepare cupcakes as directed on back of box mixing in cinnamon along with the listed ingredients on box.  Bake according to directions on box.  Let cool.  

For Frosting:

1. Beat the butter at medium - high speed until smooth, 1-2 minutes.  Add in the vanilla extract and pinch of salt.  Beat mixture at medium-high speed to speed to combine, about 15 seconds.
2. Slowly add powdered sugar until incorporated.  Add 2-3 tbsp of milk.  Beat for another minute.

To Finish:

1. Pipe on frosting with desired tip.  Sprinkle with desired amount of cinnamon/sugar.
2. Enjoy!

I'm always on the look out for new bread recipes as I absolutely love banana bread and can sometimes eat to much of it.  I stumbled upon this Raspberry bread last week and once I made it, I absolutely fell in love!  It's delicious and so summery.  Do you have any favourite bread recipes?  Please share below!

Ingredients
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 large egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 to 12 ounces raspberries, about 2 cups (can be frozen but fresh taste best)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour


Directions
1) Preheat oven 350F.  Spray one 9x5 inch loaf pan with floured cooking spray, or grease and flour the pan; set aside
2) In a large bowl, add 2 cups + 2 tablespoons flour, sugars, baking soda, optional salt, and whisk to combine; set aside.
3) In a medium microwave-safe bowl or glass measuring cup, melt the butter, about 45 seconds on high power.  Allow butter to cool momentarily so you don't scramble the egg.
4) To the butter, add the egg, buttermilk, oil, vanilla, and whisk to combine.
5) Pour wet over dry and stir until just combined; don't over mix.  Batter will be somewhat lumpy and don't try to stir the lumps smooth or the bread will be tough; set aside.
6) In a medium bowl, add the raspberries, 2 tablespoons flour, and toss lightly to combine (coating berries in flour helps to reduce sinking while baking)
7) Add the raspberries to the batter and fold very lightly to combine.
8) Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula and pushing it into corners and sides if necessary.
9) Baking time will range greatly based on if using fresh or frozen berries.  If using frozen berries bake for 1 hour 17 minutes and tent the pan with foil (lay a sheet of foil over top of pan) at the 30-minute mark.  If using fresh berries (highly recommended) bake for 45 minutes; tent pan with foil about 30 minutes into baking to prevent top and sides from becoming overly browned.  Bread is done when top is set in the middle, slightly domed, springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, but no butter.  Allow bread to cool in pan for about 15 minutes before turning out on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving. 

Hello lovies, as you well know I love Red Velvet cake (remember this post) and when I stumbled upon this recipe the other day I may have actually let out a small squeal of delight.  Really can anything be more perfect than bite sized red velvet cake truffles?  I seriously think not.  Might have to make these as a late birthday present to myself.

Red Velvet Cream Cheese Cake Truffles

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (18.25 ounce) box red velvet cake mix* (or use the recipe for red velvet cupcakes as found in the POST link above)
• Eggs, oil and water, as required on box
• 1 cup (8 oz.) cream cheese or Neufchatel cheese, softened
• White candy melts or Baker’s chocolate bars

DIRECTIONS:
Prepare and bake cake mix in a 13 x 9 inch pan, according to package/post directions. Let cake cool.

Crumble cake into a large bowl, add cream cheese and stir until the mixture is well combined. (A Kitchen-aid mixer fitted with the paddle attachment is useful for this). It should be moist and hold together after forming a ball of cake with your fingers. If the cake mixture remains dry, stir in more cream cheese to achieve the desired consistency.

Using a small cookie scoop, or your hands, portion small balls of cake and roll between your palms until nicely rounded. Place cake balls on a baking sheet covered with aluminum foil. Place sheet in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat candy coating in the microwave until melted, stirring often to prevent overheating. If needed, add a small amount of butter or shortening to thin the candy coating to a more drippy consistency.

To coat, rest a cake ball on a fork and spoon candy coating over top. Tap handle of fork on the edge of the bowl to allow excess coating to drip off. Place the dipped truffle on the foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cake balls.

Refrigerate truffles to set coating completely, about 20 minutes. Store in a resealable container or plastic bag in the refrigerator, up to one week.

Enjoy!  Until next time!

Since I sadly can't be home to share Christmas with my family my mom sent me some of her Christmas recipes to bring home to me.  I thought I'd share a few of them with you as they are really special to me and make me feel Christmassey no matter what.  I hope ye all enjoy this!  Until next time.

Ingredients
- Six Eggs
- Sugar
- 1 Quart Milk
- Nutmeg
- Crested Ten Irish Whiskey (or your favourite Whiskey or Brandy)

Separate the eggs putting egg whites in one bowl and egg yolks in another.  To the egg whites add 1/3 cup sugar and beat together.  To the egg yolks 1/4 cup sugar and beat together.  Now combine your egg and sugar mixtures together and beat well.  Add your quart of milk to eggs, add nutmeg and beat together well.  Add 4-6 jiggers of your alcohol and enjoy!  Just try not to drink to much.

With Christmas only a 11 days away I wanted to share a quick and simple holiday treat that is incredibly easy, yet wonderfully scrumptious.  It technically doesn't even need a formal recipe, but here's one anyway...

Happy Christmas to ye all and Bon Appetit! 


White Chocolate Dipped Oreos with Peppermint Sprinkles

Ingredients:
1 package "Winter" Oreos (with red creme filling)
2 lbs. white chocolate morsels
1 tbsp. canola or vegetable oil
5 candy canes

Directions:
Break the candy canes into large pieces and place them in the bowl or a food processor.  Pulse several times, until the peppermints are broken into tiny pieces (but not so much that they turn to powder!)

Next, melt the chocolate in a double boiler, stirring often.  If needed, add a little canola oil to the chocolate to keep it smooth.  One at a time, dip the Oreos into the melted chocolate and place on a wax-paper lined cookie sheet.  Before the chocolate dries completely, sprinkle the peppermint pieces over the Oreos.

Until next time, enjoy!

This crushed candy-cane cheesecake features a homemade Oreo cookie crust and crushed candy-cane topping. It's hard to imagine a more festive holiday dessert.  This recipe is perfect for that Christmas party or even a special treat after Christmas Dinner.  You could even serve it with my recipe for Candy-Cane Hot Chocolates and Mochas!  Perhaps Santa would even leave you an extra special gift if you left him a piece of this special cheesecake!


Ingredients

• 12 ounces creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos, broken into pieces
  
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
  
• 1 1/2 pounds cream cheese, at room temperature
  
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 cup sour cream
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coarsely crushed peppermint candy

Preparation

1. Place cookies in a heavy zip-lock plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Pour into a buttered 9-inch round springform pan and pour melted butter over crumbs; mix to coat, then press evenly over bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of pan. Bake in a 300 F/150 C oven until crust is slightly darker and looks a bit dry, about 10 minutes (leave oven on).
2. Meanwhile, in a bowl, with a mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend after each addition. Beat in flour, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into pan over baked crust.
3. Bake until edges are just golden and center jiggles slightly when pan is gently shaken, about 1 hour. Run a knife around edge of pan rim. Place pan on a wire rack and cool cheesecake completely in pan. Cover and chill until cold, at least 4 hours or up to 2 days. Run a knife around rim again, then release rim. If any liquid has pooled on surface of cheesecake, blot dry gently with a paper towel.
4. Decorate top of cake with crushed peppermint candy, pressing it in gently with your hands.

Note: PREP AND COOK TIME: About 1 1/2 hours, plus at least 4 hours to cool and chill

Hi lovies, this week I'm going to try to share some of my favourite Thanksgiving recipes. Living in Ireland I've missed out on Thanksgiving the last four years and while I don't miss the holiday itself that much, it is hard being away from my family.  While talking to my mom last night she was telling me everything that she was going to be making for Thanksgiving and it got me feeling a little home sick.  This recipe is probably one of my all time favourites.  For some reason pumpkin and chocolate go so well together.  Lovies are any of ye away from your families and feeling homesick too?  How about your favourite recipes?  Let me know in the comments below!  Until next time. 

Total Time: 32 min
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 15 min
Yield: 60 cookies
Level:Easy

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 cups (12-ounce bag) milk chocolate chips, not semisweet
• Nonstick cooking spray or parchment paper

Directions Heat the oven to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C. Spray cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line them with parchment paper.

Using a mixer, beat the butter until smooth. Beat in the white and brown sugars, a little at a time, until the mixture is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs 1 at a time, then mix in the vanilla and pumpkin puree. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Slowly beat the flour mixture into the batter in thirds. Stir in the chips. Scoop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared cookie sheets and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the cookies are browned around the edges. Remove the cookie sheets from the oven and let them rest for 2 minutes. Take the cookies off with a spatula and cool them on wire racks.

Enjoy a lovely Candy Cane Hot Chocolate with your Candy Cane brownies for a true Christmas taste!  You can also add coffee to make a Candy Cane Mocha.  Don't forget the whipped cream!!!

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup coffee creamer
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups skim milk powder (I use carnation)
1 cup candy cane, crushed

Directions:

1)In a large bowl measure and sift powdered sugar, unsweetened cocoa, coffee creamer, salt and skim milk powder.

2)Break up candy canes and pulse in food processor til candy canes are very fine. Cover your ears its gonna get noisy!

3)Mix all together and store in air tight container until ready to serve.

4)To make hot chocolate mix 1/3 cup hot chocolate mix in a cup of boiling water. Top with whipped cream!

5)For a gift basket idea I make a batch of just plain hot chocolate, one batch with candy cane added and one batch with mini marshmallows. Fill three decorative air tight containers with one of each of cute labels with instructions for making. Add a cute mug to get a nice gift for the holidays.

NOTE: About 14 candy canes or 175 gram box will yield one cup

A holiday favourite!  Look out for my Candy Cane drink inspirations as well!






Crushed Candy Cane-Topped Brownies
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups dark chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Dark)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 large eggs
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4-1/3 cup finely crushed candy canes
3 tablespoons mini chocolate chips (optional)


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F./190 degrees C. Line a 13x9-inch baking dish with foil; butter or coat foil with cooking spray.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat; turn heat off and stir in chocolate until melted and smooth.

In a medium sized mixing bowl, sift together flour, cocoa powder, salt and baking powder.
In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium-high speed, beat eggs, brown sugar and granulated sugar until thickened and foamy, about 4 minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in melted chocolate-butter mixture until well combined. Beat in flour mixture until just combined.

Scrape brownie batter into prepared baking dish; evenly top with candy cane and mini chocolate chips. Bake at for 28-32 minutes. Cool completely before lifting foil out of pan and slicing brownies into bars.

Makes 15 brownies

Another festive fall favourite!

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded & chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 1 1/2 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1 can (14 oz) petite diced tomatoes
• 2/3 cup uncooked quinoa
• 3/4 cup pitted and quartered kalamata olives
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

1. Steam the butternut squash until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Remove half of the squash pieces and set aside.
2. Steam the remaining squash until very tender, an additional 4 to 6 minutes. Mash this squash with the back of a fork. Set aside.
3. In a large saucepan set over medium-high heat, bring the chicken broth to a simmer.
4. Add chicken thighs, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken thighs to a plate and allow to cool. Pour broth into a medium-sized bowl.
6. Return the saucepan to the stove top and lower heat to medium. Add olive oil.
7. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to turn brown, 8 to 10 minutes.
8. Add minced garlic and oregano. Cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.
9. To the saucepan, add tomatoes, butternut squash pieces, mashed butternut squash. Stir to combine.
10. Stir in reserved chicken broth and quinoa. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook until the quinoa turns translucent, about 15 minutes.
11. Shred the chicken with your fingers or a fork.
12. Stir the chicken, olives and pepper into the stew and simmer, uncovered, to heat, about 5 minutes.
13. Stir in parsley and serve.