Brie & Jam on Italian Bread

Brie. Jam. Italian Bread.

How fancy did you just feel reading that? You should've felt pretty fancy.

I know I do when I eat this delectable snack.

What a beautiful iPhone-quality picture (sarcasm) but I was so excited to try this snack I couldn't wait to go get my camera and take photos. But I will soon!

This recipe is so simple, it's not really even a recipe, but it's a good idea and I wanted to share it with all of you lovely readers!

Ingredients:
Brie
Strawberry Jam
Italian Bread

Directions:
1. Slice bread.

2. Spread jam onto bread.

3. Slice brie into thin slices.

Quick and Easy Pizza Bread

Pizza is amazing. I love pizza. I swear that I was born Italian because I love anything with tomato sauce, basil, and mozzarella. Who doesn't? Basil (newly discovered that it's pronounced like Baz-ill) is one of my favorite herbs in the kitchen.

This is a recipe that can be altered to fit anyone's particular food desires. For example, today I only wanted cherub tomatoes, mozzarella, and garlic powder. Had I the time to make something "fancier" I definitely could have.

Ingredients:
Italian bread - sliced (I prefer the fresh loaves at a bakery, and I do prefer Italian over French. Yes, there is a difference!)
Butter (optional)
Garlic powder
Tomatoes - diced
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Any other ingredient you desire: basil, pepperoni, mushroom, onion, etc.

Directions:
1. Turn your oven on to broil.

2. Take your slices of bread and butter (optional). Sprinkle a bit of garlic powder onto each slice. Top with whatever your heart desires. Save the cheese for last, so it can melt onto everything else (yum!).

3. Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes. Be sure to check on it and don't burn your meal!

Wedding Cake Cupcakes

I used to be skeptical about using cake mix or other "baking" mixes in my baking. That's not original enough! But then I thought about how busy I am with school and work that I sometimes just have to use shortcuts. I think that's perfectly okay. 

Look at this cupcake! Look at it! Isn't it beautiful??? It is. I know it is. I would totally eat one of these on my wedding day, that's for sure. Here is the original link to the recipe. Props to her!


Ingredients:

For the cake:
1 (18.25 ounce) box white cake mix
1 C all-purpose flour
1 C sugar
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/3 C water
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 C sour cream or greek yogurt
4 large egg whites

For the buttercream:
3 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 Tablespoons whipping cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place cupcake liners in cupcake pans (you'll need approx. 36).

2. In a large bowl, whisk together cake mix, flour, sugar and salt. Add remaining ingredients and beat with hand mixer for 2 minutes, or until well blended.

3. Use ice cream scoop to fill prepared cupcake tins- fill about 3/4 full. Bake about 18 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Buttercream:

1. In a large bowl, with a hand or stand mixer, cream together sugar and butter on low speed. Mix until well blended. Increase speed to medium and beat for another 3 minutes.

2. Add vanilla and cream and continue to beat on medium speed for 1 minute more, adding more cream if needed for desired spreading/piping consistency.

3. Scoop into a piping bag and pipe decoratively onto cupcakes, or spread onto cupcakes as desired.

Lemon Rounds

You can never go wrong with lemon. If you scroll through my recipes, you'll see about 4-5 different lemon recipes, and I've only been blogging for a year!

This is really a great recipe, and apparently originating from Paula Deen. It's like a mixture between cake and cookie with a wonderfully citrus-y glaze on top.

Ingredients:

1 (10.25 oz) box of yellow cake mix
1 (3.4 oz) box instant lemon flavored pudding mix
4 large eggs
¾ cup vegetable oil

For the glaze:

3 tbsp vegetable oil

4 cups powdered sugar

1 tbsp lemon zest (about 1 whole lemon)

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tbsp water

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
2. Coat a mini cupcake pan with cooking spray.

3. In a large bowl, mix together the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, and the ¾ cup oil. Beat for two minutes.
 
4. Spoon 1 tbsp of the batter into each cupcake tin and bake for 12 minutes.  

5. Turn the cakes over onto a cloth towel.  

6. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioner’s sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, the three tablespoons of oil, and the water. Mix until smooth.  

7. Dip the cakes into the glaze then place on a wire rack to set. 

Trix Treats

Are these not the most beautiful things you have ever seen? They totally are. I almost didn't want to eat them! ... Almost... This is the same version as my Lucky Charms treats, but with Trix instead! See how easy it is to switch out different cereals? I'm going to have to try a Reese's Puffs treat next!

Ingredients:
5 C Trix cereal
3 tbsp butter
2 1/2 C mini marshmallows (or 25-30 large ones)

Directions:
1. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish.
2. On the stove, melt the butter and marshmallows together.
3. In a large bowl pour the marshmallow mixture over the dry cereal and mix together with a greased spatula or plastic spoon. (I use the frosting spatulas)
4. Using wax paper or greased hands, pour the mixture into the baking dish and press down to set.
5. Once cooled slightly, cut into squares.
6. Enjoy!

Lucky Charms Treats

Now if you have ever eaten that delicious and totally unhealthy sugary cereal when you were a kid, this will come as a pleasant surprise to you. Everyone knows what rice krispy treats are, but have you seen other cereals besides Rice Krispies? Well... if you haven't, you are in for a.... treat!

These are such a fantastic snack to make because it takes about 10 minutes from start to finish. They are tasty and chewy, a perfect combination.

Ingredients:
5 C Lucky Charms cereal
3 tbsp butter
2 1/2 C mini marshmallows (or 25-30 large ones)

Directions:
1. Grease a 13" x 9" baking dish.

2. On the stove, melt the butter and marshmallows together.

3. In a large bowl pour the marshmallow mixture over the dry cereal and mix together with a greased spatula or plastic spoon. (I use the frosting spatulas)

4. Using wax paper or greased hands, pour the mixture into the baking dish and press down to set.

5. Once cooled slightly, cut into squares.

Luck 'O the Irish Brownie Bites

It's that time of year! Saint Patrick's Day is right around the corner and I can guarantee everyone is getting excited for some reason or another. For example, I am excited that spring is here because it's almost my birthday and I'm about to graduate in May! Eeeee!

This delectable little bites of chocolate are just wonderful. They can be made with or without Irish cream liqueur. I actually found them on AllRecipes, which is one of my preferred "commercial" recipe sites.

Ingredients:

Brownies:

2 family size boxes of fudge brownie mix

1 C Irish cream liqueur (like Baileys) (for non-alcoholic version, use heavy cream)

2/3 C vegetable oil

2 eggs

Icing on top:

1 C unsalted butter, softened

5 tbsp Irish cream liqueur (or heavy cream)

4 C powdered sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Grease a cupcake tin with cooking spray

3. Beat together the brownie mix, 1 cup Irish liqueur, vegetable oil, and eggs until the mixture is smooth.

4. Pour large spoonfuls into the cupcake tins and bake until the centers come out clean when a toothpick is inserted. This is around 20 minutes. Let the brownies cool.

5. For the icing, beat the butter until it's creamy, add in the liqueur until incorporated. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until desired consistency. Scoop or spread onto brownies.