Red velvet (from the box) chocolate chip cookies Recipe

I blame pinterest for this crazy baking happening lately. LOL! Actually, I will blame the person that got me into pinterest. Who got me into pinterest anyway? I can't remember, but whoever it was, is in bigggggg trouble. No not really. I thought facebook was bad.

Anyway.

I was pinning the other day and I saw a post (can't remember what it was) but it led me to THIS site. So when I like what I see on a blog or site, I will sit here and pretty much look through the whole entire site till the very end. That's what I did. I sat here in front of the computer and just looked at How Sweet it Is blog. You should go and check it out. She has some amazing recipes and her photos are super cute and so pretty.

Red velvet anything is big with everyone. This little cute girl named Riley loves it when I make anything red velvet. I know so, 'coz her mom told me that my red velvet cupcake is the best there is. Ohhh, I love that girl. So when I saw THIS recipe. I knew I had to try it and share it with Riley.


Here's what you need:

• 1 box Red Velvet cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup chocolate chips

To do:

1. Preheat oven to 350F*
2. In an electric mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Mix until a dough forms. Fold in chocolate chips. Roll into balls and bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

**  For the chocolate chip, I know her recipe says 3/4 cup, but I love chocolate chips too much and I want each and every bite would have a lot of chips so I used a 1 cup and a few extras. LOL!


** Also, I tried using the hand mixer with this and the batter was too thick so I used my standing mixer (Kitchen Aid). Then I used my spatula to mix in the chocolate chip. The dough will be very thick and I used my ice cream scooper so I will get an even ball and cookies. I used the 1 inch scooper.

My cookie ball. I used a 1 inch ice cream scooper.

Always and even and uniformed cookies.

My kids are going crazy at this point and I bet if they could tackle me for a cookie, they would have.

My daughter even snuck one out and she go caught, 'coz I can see her chewing hahaha. It was funny to watch.

So what are you waiting for? Go and bake, you will love it. You can use this creamcheese frosting recipe if you want to make a sandwich cookie, but not necessary. The cookie itself if good the way it is.


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Gluten Free Chocolate Truffle Tarts with Raspberry RECIPE

Every time my BFF comes to visit, we sometimes always ends up making something with chocolate. Last time she was here, which was only a few weeks ago we made THIS. Then a couple weeks later she calls and says she was coming over again and that she wants chocolate. I mean come on, who can resist chocolate right? I googled and searched online for something good that I haven't tried yet, and if you know me I'm not big on sweets. So when I saw the recipe for the truffle tart with raspberry, I knew I had to make it. I called her and told on her to stop at the store and grab the raspberry, only to find out that the store ran out. So, we opted for strawberry, which wasn't bad, but the raspberry would have definitely made the taste different and better.


I know you can't wait to make one too, so here it is.


Here's what you need:


     * 1 1/2 cups fine chocolate wafer crumbs (I used Simplebites)

•      * 6 tablespoons melted butter
•      * 1 recipe Dark Chocolate Truffles (RECIPE FOLLOWS)
•      * Fresh raspberry and extra for topping (In my case I used strawberry)

Directions:

1. Place chocolate wafers into a food processor and mix until finely crumb.  Transfer into a bowl and add the butter and mix well. 

2. Spoon 2 tbsp. of crumbs to the cupcake liner and press. I used the bottom of the shot glass to press the crumbs.

3. Place raspberry in the center of each cupcake liner and take your truffles that was in the ziploc bag and snip the side corner and fill the cupcake liner with the truffle mixture up to the top and smooth the top. Refrigerate until set. 

Simplebites Extreme Chocolate Mini Cookies (All natural, wheat free, gluten free)


Chopped up dark chocolate for the truffle. (Recipe for the truffle is below) 

Dark Chocolate Truffles:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 12 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped ( I used baker's Bittersweet)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Chopped up bittersweet chocolate

Hot heavy cream added to the chocolate

Waiting for the truffles to cool down and whipped

How to make the truffles:

1. In a saucepan, bring the cream just to a simmer over low heat (don't over heat). 

2. Pour the cream over the chocolate in a big enough bowl and stir to melt the chocolate. 

3. Add the vanilla and stir until smooth. 

4. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes at room temperature. 

5. Beat the chocolate at medium speed with a hand mixer until it gets thick and light colored. 

6. Transfer into a big ziplock bag.

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Pudding Pops and beyond - Recipe

I first saw this post in Pinterest. This is one of the few that I have actually tried and tested right away. I've made it twice already in 1 week. Between the hubby, the kids and friends with their kids who stops by. I had to share it. It's just that good.

The first time the kids and I made it, more like the kids offered and went on to whatever they were doing and me slaving in the kitchen. Seriously though, it's super easy you don't need your little helpers, who mysteriously appear and offer their helping hand when you're all done and the spoon and beater blades need licking.

Anywhoooo!

You will need 3 ingredients + the cups and popsicle sticks
* 1 small package of Jell-O pudding (I used chocolate)
* 1 1/2 cold milk
* 2 cups cool whip

** The 2nd time we've made this (sorry I didn't get pics) we've added crushed oreos and mini marshmallows in the mix. Next time we're trying different kind of pudding. Little man said the green kind (he meant pistachio).

* 3 oz. dixie paper cups
* popsicle sticks (I used plastic spoons, you will know why down below. It's under one of the photos)

* Mix milk and pudding in a large bowl. Whisk until thick.

* Add cool whip and mix well.

* All ready to be eaten scooped into the cups and freeze.

* Scoop into the paper cups all the way to the top and insert the stick or plastic spoon. So why plastic spoon you ask? Well, I have a thing with wooden items. I'm paranoid that my kids or anyone would get a sliver on their tongue or fingers using the popsicle stick. Is that bad?  Just thinking about it gives me the  heebie-jeebies. LOL! Laugh all you want when you're eating one with a wooden stick and get a sliver, we'll  see who's laughing then?

All ready for freezing.

I also cut up some aluminum foil to cover the top so it won't get freezer burn on top. Not that this will be sitting in the freezer that long.

Couple of hours later and it's ready to eat. Yum Yum Yummmmm!!!

Sorry I can't help myself. I had to take a bite.

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Easter Treats for the Family ** RE-POST

**Re-post**
With Easter just around the corner. I don't really have anything in mind on what to make. Will be spending Easter dinners with Family so I am not cooking or making anything this year. Wooohooo@ I get to relax. So, instead I am re-posting this post from before.

I hope everyone enjoys their Easter Sunday!

Hi Everyone!

I wanted to post this really quick before Easter. I know it's tomorrow but my internet was broken for a couple of days and I couldn't post anything.

I won't make this long so I will just show you the pictures :-)
I made Easter Basket cupcakes for the kids, and load it with lots of sweets. LOL!

Peepsssssssssssss :-) yey! and I use the pastel M&M's

This is supposed to look like butterflies but not really sure if it does :-)

Some kind of flower...

This I made for someone :-) not telling, just in case she's looking at this blog.

Made cake pops, does it look like eggs?

I even dipped them in the sprinkles :-)

Carrot cake cakeballs... and drizzled with orange chocolate milk.

This is where I will put the cake balls :-)

❤ clairebakescakes ❤

Easy Pleasy Meaty Meatloaf Recipe

You know after all these years of battling on what to cook for dinner, it should get easier, but it doesn't for me. I have tried the weekly plan and sometimes most of the time I end up not following my meal plan. Either I change it or around or completely make something that isn't even on the plan. Good thing my family is not picky. They eat pretty much whatever I make. 

So, meatloaf is good. Everyone loves meatloaf right? My kids loved it, with mashed potato, sometimes with gravy and sometimes just plain. This meatloaf is super easy and it doesn't have a lot of ingredients. Normally when I make meatloaf I always have a hard boiled egg in the middle of the mix and so when you cut into it you will have yummy eggs in the middle.

Let's get to the ingredients:

* 2      

lb. lean ground beef

* 1

pkg. / box of stuffing mix (6 oz)

* 1

cup water

* 2

eggs, beaten

* 1

cup BBQ sauce ( I use honey BBQ all the time, but you don't have to)

What to do:

1.  Grab a large enough bowl to mix the meat and the stuffing in. Place meat in the bowl, stuffing mix, water, eggs and  1/2 cup of BBQ in the bowl and mix it all up until blended well.

 2. Shape into a 13x9 baking dish (shape into a dome like) I like using a baking dish instead of a loaf pan. So the fats are scattered and not sitting with your meatloaf if you use a loaf pan.

 3.  Add the remaining barbecue sauce on top and bake for 1 hour or until done (180ºF). As you can see I added some cheese on top. I used a taco blended cheese and added it about 10 minutes before it's done.

Serve with whatever sides you want. My kids love potato so we mashed it and made it creamier than I usually make it, so no gravy needed.

I shouldn't be doing blogs towards dinner time. LOL! Now I want meatloaf, but we're having HUMBA with hot steaming white rice, YUMMY! If you want to know what HUMBA is, just click ---> HERE.

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