Crafts, Cakes, and Cats: December 2013

Tuesday, December 24, 2013

Cake mix cookie bar

Everywhere I look I see something involving cake mix and pudding mix. Sounds very strange but I gave in. These cookie cake bars are so amazingly moist! Its a good thing I gave most away because I could probably just sit there with the pan and eat them all....no joke. Also they whip up really fast if you need just one more Christmas treat! Or just a treat because its a Monday afternoon say and the baby wont nap...and then you eat the pan all by yourself.... or not just saying.

You need
A box of yellow cake mix
A small box of instant vanilla pudding
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup oil
2 eggs
1 cup chocolate chips. (I used half m&ms half white chocolate chips)

What you do
Preheat oven to 350° Mix all the ingredients in one bowl then stir in the chocolate chips. Poor into a well oiled 9x13 pan. Bake for 20-30 min until golden and starting to look crisp around the edges.

Enjoy!!!

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Santa Cupcakes

Wow this week has been just a little bit crazy!! With trying to finish up Christmas stuff and having my daughters 1st birthday party a little early ( her actual birthday is the 30th). I have had a lot going on, as I am sure you do too! Now did your kids sign you up to make cupcakes for the holiday party? I totally signed myself up this last week not thinking about craziness going on. These are cute and quick cupcakes.

What you need

A batch of your favorite white cupcakes
Red sugar crystals
Some white frosting
Red and green M&Ms
Mini chocolate chips
Mini marshmallows
Coconut

What you do

My best tip is do this one cupcake at a time so the frosting is still wet not dried out. Lightly frost your cupcake, dip half your cupcake in the red sprinkles. Line the rim of the red with mini marshmallows that have been cut in half, and out one whole one on the top of your red. Now use mini chocolate chips for eyes M&M for a nose and coconut for a beard. Done and done.

(please note I did not do one at a time and ended up having to add a little frosting about 1/2 way because it was drying out)

I just think these little guys are so cute!!!!

Saturday, December 7, 2013

M&M peppermint bark cut outs

I really wanted to make some kind of bark but everywhere you look there is peppermint bark and I wanted something different. And yes I ended up with peppermint but they are little different. I originally planned on just chocolate and white chocolate with M&Ms but when I saw peppermint candy melts I just had to!!! I love the little red flakes in the white chocolate and the peppermint isn't over powering and of course M&Ms are just chocolate so I couldn't go wrong adding a little peppermint. But what makes these really fun is the shapes!! Can't you imagine yourself packing these cute little things up for your child's teacher? Oh and guess what it took me like maybe 30 min including the time in the refrigerator to harden!!! Oh and my husband says they remind him of peppermint mochas. In my house that't one of the biggest compliments out there.

What You need

8oz semi sweet chocolate

1 bag Wilton Peppermint candy melts

Red and Green M&Ms

cookie cutters

What to do

Melt your chocolate in a double boiler. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper and lay out cookie cutters. Once chocolate is melted and smooth place some chocolate inside a cookie cutter and spread to the edges with something like a chopstick. Once all filled place in the refrigerator for 10 min. Once chocolate has hardened melt the candy melts in the microwave and repeat on top of the hardened chocolate. While still warm place M&Ms on each candy. Harden again for about 15 minutes. to pop out of the cookie cutter use a paring knife along the edges.