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Hopefully this podcast will answer some of you guys' questions! Sorry I sound pretty nasally, the weather lately has given me a fabulous sinus infection and cold! Let me know if anybody has any more questions they would like answered! Thanks everybody!

If you're anything like me, you love anything sweet and apple flavored. It doesn't matter if it is apple crumb cake, apple strudel, or a caramel apple.. I'm interested! It's hard to find a good recipe, even harder when you're trying to match your grandmothers homemade recipe. That one special recipe that had the whole family gathered, the smell of apples, cinnamon and warm vanilla frosting seeping through the air. 

My grandmother baked her apple fritter pie each Thanksgiving for us. Most kids look forward to some juicy turkey, fluffy stuffing, or sweet cranberry sauce, but not with us! We hurried through dinner and waited patiently for the smell of the apples baking in a nutmeg, cinnamon sauce that can't even be explained. If you aren't already drooling, then just wait for the smell of this delicious dessert to hit your nostril. If you're dying for a look at this down-home, backwoods, apple fritter pie, than look no further! Enjoy readers and keep on baking! 

For Filling: 

1 huge cup of sliced apples (I peeled, cored and sliced)

1/3 cup granulated sugar 

1 teaspoon cinnamon  (split into two 1/2 teaspoons)

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 

2 tablespoons cornstarch 

2 teaspoons water 

1/2 cup brown sugar (light)

For Cake: 

1/3 cup butter

1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce 

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

2 1/4 cups flour 

3/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon baking powder 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

2 large eggs

1 1/4 teaspoon salt 

1 teaspoon cinnamon 

1 cup Greek yogurt (plain)

For Glaze:

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla 

6 tablespoons milk

Instructions:

For filling: 

Make your filling by combining apples, sugar, water, cinnamon (1 part) and cornstarch in a small saucepan.  Cook on low heat for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly until the sauce is thickened and the apples are a bit soft (not mushy).  Set aside to cool.  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar and cinnamon together until well combined and set aside.

For Cake: 

Preheat oven to 350°.  Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish.  Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.  Add applesauce and vanilla and mix till combined.  Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

Sift the dry ingredients together.  Add the dry ingredients to the batter in three parts alternating with the yogurt in two parts, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.  Beat until just combined.

Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pan.  Spoon the cooled apple mixture over the batter carefully and spread as evenly as possible.  Sprinkle 2/3 of brown sugar cinnamon mixture over apples and cover with the rest of the batter.  Sprinkle the rest of the brown sugar cinnamon mixture over the top.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

For Glaze: 

While the cake is baking, make the glaze.  In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until the glaze is desired consistency.  When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately but carefully pour onto hot cake.  Try to pour as evenly as possible.  You might have to pick up the cake and tilt it to spread the glaze evenly.  I even poured some out that pooled at the corners and re-poured that over the top.  Let the cake sit for awhile for the glaze to set.

To anyone trying this recipe, I hope that you enjoy it as much as my family has. I can't wait to pass this recipe onto my children and I'm sure my grandmother would love to see her recipe in such a great light. Cooking isn't always easy, but she always said that if you are patient and you love the people you are feeding, you can't go wrong. It takes more than love to make a cake, but to make a cake, you need love. 

Adios Amigos! Come back for some Authentic Mexican Sweets!

-Sarah E. Seuell

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are to die for. Sweet & Salty come together to make a soft, delectable cookie that won't last long!

Ingredients : 

1/2 cup butter softened (salted)
1 cup peanut butter (I use creamy natural)
3/4 cup granulated sugar (white)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 cup flour (sifted)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

(some extra granulated sugar.. about 1/2 cup)

Instructions :

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two cookie sheets.

2) In a large bowl use a mixer to combine peanut butter and softened stick butter.

3) Mix in brown sugar & white sugar, Than add milk, vanilla and the egg. Once well mixed add in baking powder, baking soda, flour and salt. 

 

4) Stir in chocolate chips. Roll into balls and rub in granulated sugar.

 

 

5) Slightly flatten the balls on the pan and cook for 8-10 minutes. (Cookies should still be soft when taken out of the oven)

 

 Be careful! These cookies are highly addicting. The quick and easy process of making them makes them even more scrumptious.They are so simple to make I had my three year old help me. Make sure to not let them overcook... and you are sure to have a treat that any peanut butter/chocolate lover will enjoy! Consider yourself warned... now bake up!

-Sarah Seuell

 

 

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

If this recipe doesn't speak for itself, I don't know what will! I had a recipe for lemon blueberry muffins that turned out mediocre. I thought I might try and spice it up and make it into a cookie.... and add some cheesecake... hmmm why not?

It turned out to be amazing! The blueberries stay juicy and sweet, the lemon adds the zest, and cheesecake.. well that's cheesecake. Yum! Who doesn't love cheesecake! This recipe is not as complicated as the one for Chocolate Cherry Coca Cola Cake, but that doesn't mean you don't get dirty. Plan to be mixing by hand and throwing cream cheese all over your kitchen (or at least that's how I do it). 
Here goes....

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted stick butter
1 cup granulated sugar 
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups sifted flour
2 cups rinsed blueberries
1/2 package cream cheese (cut into small squares)

#1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookies sheet with parchment paper. 
#2. In large bowl with mixer combine butter and sugar. Add lemon juice and eggs. 
#3. In separate bowl whisk baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour.
#4. Add mixers from #2 and #3 together. Slowly fold in blueberries with hands so they stay intact. 
#5. Refrigerate mixture for about 15 minutes. <~~ This saves messiness... I don't do it :)
#6. Take a small handful of dough and form cookie, squeeze a square of cream cheese into the middle and close. Put on cookie sheet and cook for about 10-14 minutes. Watch these carefully, you do not want blueberry juice spewing everywhere :)

 
Enjoy! This is truly one of my favorite recipes! They aren't too sweet and are good for any occasion! Catch ya next time!

Chocolate Cherry Coca Cola Cake

Instead of pumpkin muffins I decided I wanted to share my own recipe for Chocolate Cherry Coca-Cola Cake. It's delicious, juicy and it's become a family favorite. Although it takes time and patience, it is my best recipe yet. I've made it for birthday's, Valentine's Day, July 4th, and any other odd occasion that has an excuse for dessert! To start I'm gonna share a picture of the final product... because I know this picture is sure to get your mouth watering!

I know what you're thinking! Where is this recipe! Not only is this cake smothered in chocolate and cherry's.. its literally filled with pop! Yum!

Ingredients:

Cake:

2 cups sifted flour
2 cups confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup stick butter
1/4 cup cocoa

1 cup Cherry Coca Cola

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup cocoa
1/2 cup Cherry Coca Cola
4 cups confectioners sugar

Small jar Maraschino Cherry's

 #1. Preheat your over to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix your flour, granulated sugar, salt, baking soda and cinnamon as seen in the picture. 

#2. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine 1 cup butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, 1 cup Cherry Coca Cola, and 1/2 cup buttermilk. Continue stirring until boiling. Take the sauce pan off the heat and add to the mixture created in #1. After mixing thoroughly add 2 large eggs and 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla. 

#3.  Spray an 8x12 pan with cooking spray and pour the new mixture in evenly and place in the over for about thirty minutes. Keep an eye on the cake, it will burn. Do not over-bake!

#4. In a sauce pan over medium heat, combine 1/2 cup butter, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 1/2 cup Cherry Coca Cola until boiling. Remove from heat and add about 4 cups confectioners sugar... or until smooth (like frosting). 

#5. After the cake has cooled, poke holes along the top for frosting to soak in and maraschino cherry's to be placed. Pour the frosting over the cake evenly. Place cherry's (without stems) over holes. Ta da! 

This cake is fun, it's homemade, you get messy, and everything tastes delicious! The cake batter is good, the frosting is delicious and the finished cake is too die for. I hope everyone that makes this cake enjoys it as much as my family has!

Hello! Welcome to my blog all about baking sweets! As an avid baker I've come across and invented many recipes that I am dying to share. They are delicious and always sweet! If you have any interest in cooking let me guide you through some easy steps to make yummy cookies, mouth-watering cakes, many scrumptious muffins, pies and much much more!

I want everyone to know that I didn't start out as a great cook, it took a lot of time and practice (and many failures) to be successful, but I assure you that if you follow my directions you'll be eating finger-licking good cookies with friends and family! 

My first baking incident started at a young age. I was thirteen, in middle school and I was dying for no-bake cookies. I sat with some cocoa and butter in a pan on the stove for over an hour. I didn't realize that I hadn't turned it on. After wasting an hour staring at my chocolate butter, (tummy growling, sweet tooth aching) I turned the strove on and thanked my blonde hair for the mishap. I also made the mistake of adding less than enough oatmeal. I ended up with one large no-bake cookie. It ran off the wax paper and onto the floor. Mom was not happy. I didn't bake another dish until I was eighteen years old. Even with the hiatus from the kitchen, I still dreamed of making pies, cakes and cookies. I was determined to return to the kitchen, apron on and spatula in hand. In the past few years I've racked up some delicious dishes with much better turn out than that first batch of no-bake cookies. 

My first recipe I'm going to share is a recipe for pumpkin muffins I came across on good 'ol Pinterest. While the recipe is borrowed, the recipe for the frosting is my own. This tasty treat will leave family members drooling so beware!