Nutella Fudgesicles

I hate cats.

Leave my blog if you`d like. Shoo shoo, go away cat-lovers.

Yes, I really just said that.

I have a strong dislike toward cats.

Why, you ask?

Well, where do I start...

Cats are CREEPY! How many times have you felt freaked out by the cat in the corner

glaring at you?

Also I have this neighbor who has 4 outdoor cats. 4 CATS!  and outdoor cats basically

means hunting/fending for yourself. The result... Dead birds and mice everywhere. So,

so, so gross. In my opinion, that's enough to make anyone hate cats lol.

Anyways...

This week I made Popsicles. AMAZING Popsicles. Amazing NUTELLA Popsicles.

If  the mere mention of the word nutella doesn't make you excited, then you are in the wrong

place. 

Plus, they have a whole 1/2 cup of nutella.

*sigh*

Two ingredients, no-bake, you gotta make these. Now.

Go! Why are you still here?

Nutella fudgesicles

adapted from Dailywaffle.com

Makes 6 pops

1/2 cup Nutella

1 1/2 cups Pacific Hazelnut Chocolate Milk(I used regular 1% milk and they turned out great)

Mix the nutella and milk together with a whisk until combined.

Chill mixture in the fridge for 2 hrs.

Pour into Popsicle molds and freeze for at least 4 hrs.

Note: Can also be made in the Zoku quick pop maker



Blueberry Pie Filling

I`m back!!

I went to Lake Winnapasake for 2 weeks and had a fabulous time, but I missed you guys

terribly!

I'm sure you guys missed me too, right?

Yay, I'm loved :)

Anyways, I know blueberry pie filling is pretty basic, but since nice fresh blueberries are

in season right now, i figured I`d share a delicious recipe with you.

This filling has this delicious Cinnamon-nutmeg tang to it, and I know you guys are just gonna

love it!

I prepared this with a premade pie crust for the sake of ease and time, but you are welcome

make your own if you'd like

Blueberry Pie Filling
adapted from Food.com

2 pints blueberries (4 cups)

3/4 cup sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon lemon rind, grated

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 egg, well beaten with

1 pinch salt, for egg washing top of pie

2 tablespoons sugar, for top of pie

2 individual pie crusts

Directions:

1.   Combine 1 cup berries with 3/4 cup sugar in pan
2. Simmer on low heat until sugar is melted and mixture is very liquid; about 5 minutes.
3. Combine cornstarch and water in bowl
4.  Add to pan with blueberries.
5. Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to full boil and is clear and thick.
6. Pour hot mixture into large bowl.Cool until warm
7. Fold in remaining 3 cups of blueberries, lemon rind, cinnamon,nutmeg and butter
8. Let cool before adding to pie crust.
9. Add top crust and brush with egg wash, sprinkle with sugar
10. Preheat oven to 400°F but reduce heat to 375°F when you put pie in oven. Bake about 40 minutes. Check pie halfway through baking; cover edges with a strip of foil if edges are getting too brown

Homemade Buttermints

There are a few things in life I will never understand...

1. Why you would ever use lotion sunscreen instead of spray.
2. Socks and sandals (gross!)
3. Why the Kardashians are famous.
4. Grossly long fingernails.
5. Waxed moustaches.
6. Why the world does not believe sweatpants are attractive, and instead forces me into skinny jeans.
7. Crocs.
8. Math.
9. Why I love Target so much.
10. And lastly, vegan diets. (Why would you ever give up cupcakes?)

Anyways...

I have always loved, loved, loved butter mints, so when I found this recipe, I was SUPER EXCITED!

Also, they are no-bake, so you don't have to turn on the stupid oven.

They are super easy too.

All you do is mix your ingredients together until you have a nice play-dough consistency dough...

   And then you can color the dough. The original recipe suggests coloring balls of dough one at a time in your mixer, washing the bowl every time, but I came up with an easier solution...

                                   
 Blood lol. Take your dough ball, and push your thumb into the center of it, making a hole that you can then squirt the dye into. Knead it until you have a smooth color consistency. (This is one of the 4 balls of dough that I colored)

                                                               

Then begins the sort-of hard part. The great mint roll-out. Roll out your dough into snakes, and slice it into bite-size pieces. Refrigerate for at least 3 hrs., and you`re done!


Homemade Butter mints
Recipe adapted from Averie Cooks

Old-Fashioned Butter Mints (no-bake, gluten-free)

Makes about 200 bite-sized mints
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar plus 1/4 cup+, if needed
1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract*
food coloring, optional
In the bowl of stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or a hand mixer,  combine butter and salt and beat for 1 minute on medium-high speed.
 Add 3 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, milk, peppermint, and beat on medium-low speed until a dough forms.
If the dough seems wet, add additional confectioners’ sugar until dough combines ( I did not have to add any additional sugar). The dough will be crumbly but will come together when pinched and squeezed into a ball, and have the consistency of play dough, or clay.

At this point, taste the batter. (yes, that is an order) Add more mint extract if you feel you need it, but be careful. The slightest bit more extract can seriously alter the flavor. ( I did not need to add any more.

Take a handful of dough, and make it into a ball shape. Press your thumb into the middle of the dough, and add a few drops of food coloring. Knead until you have reach the desired color. Repeat until all your dough is colored.

Take each lump of dough, and roll out into a snake-like line. Cut into bite-size pieces with a knife or pizza cutter. Repeat until all the dough is cut up, and refrigerate for at least three hours, or until they become firm. The mints can be stored in an air-tight container in the fridge for several weeks.

Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment telling me what you thought.

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

  I don`t know if I can deal with this heat anymore.

It`s like a million and two degrees outside, and I am DONE.

Sick of going to bed sweaty, sick of not being able to sleep because of the heat, and sick of

getting hot flashes every other minute.

Grrrrr...

So we belong  to this pool club, and we go there A LOT because it`s like the only other

place to go besides dying of heat in your house (Or the mall. Not opposed to that option

either)

So there I am, just standing around in shallow end, trying to cool off when

I get hit, splashed, rammed into, and my butt gets crashed into by a bunch of crazy

boys playing a game WITHOUT GOGGLES.

I think this should be a rule.

No swimming without goggles, because otherwise, you will crash into people in unpleasant

places, and possibly get shouted at.

You here me Mr. policeman?

Anyways...

Peanut butter cup cookies. Yes.

Plus, these are like, super simple.

All you do is make sugar cookie dough from a box, add some peanut butter, roll it into

little balls, and press a mini peanut butter cup into the center of it.

BTW, how awesome are those miniature Reese's`s?

Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 box sugar cookie mix
• Ingredients called for on the box
•  1/4 cup Creamy peanut butter
• 1 bag miniature peanut butter cups

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to the temperature directed on the box (Usually like 350 degrees F)
2. Prepare your sugar cookie dough as directed on the box, mixing until it`s just barley a dough.
3. Add your peanut butter, and mix until dough is smooth and well-combined.
4. Roll your dough into quarter-sized ball shapes (they will spread out in the oven) and press your peanut butter cup into the center of each.
5. Arrange all your cookies on a baking sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly brown on the edges.

 
Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment telling me what you thought!

4th of July Berry Trifles

Let`s talk about the word legit.

In other words, the word that always makes me look like an idiot.

BTW, legit actually means real,  if you need a defination like me.

Unfortunatly though for my reputation, I always use it as I would actually,

or really.

Like. "Do you legit think I`m going to go get that for you?"

Or, "Are you legit going to the Bahamas without me?"

Not like it`s supposed to be used, all archeologist-like; "I do sir believe that this is a legit

bone."

So I am constatly looking for correct ways to say it, cuz really people, you have to admit, it is

a fun word, right?

Wait! I have one!

The fact that I made these parfaits in 10 minatues and ate them even faster is legit.

Whhooo-hooo! 5 points for me lol :)

But seriously, these berry parfaits have amazing patriotic spirit and colors, and everyone will

LOVE them.

But they don`t have to know that you made them in like 10 minutes.

Easy, no-bake dessserts unite!

Patriotic Berry Trifles

makes 2 small trifles, or 1 large one

• About 15 fresh rasberries (or strawberries)
• About 25 fresh blueberries
• 2/3 cup of heavy cream, whipped
• 1 tablespoon sugar and a splash of vanilla to sweeten the cream
• Adittional whipped cream and festive sprinkles for garnish (optinal)

1. Whip your cream until soft peaks form, and add your sugar and vanilla.
2. Wash your berries, and add a layer of each, topping every layer with whipped cream, until you reach the top of your glass.
3. Top with an extra dollop of whipped cream, and additional sprinkles for garnish

Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment telling me what you thought.


             Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

<3 Blondie

Birthday Cake Oreo Truffles

                                           

 

 

So this weekend I went hiking.

 

Yes. You heard me right. HIKING. In the woods. Up a mountain.

 

And I slept up there in hut.

 

Now tell me, WHAT WAS I THINKING?!?!

 

 I`m not sure I was in the correct mental state of mind when I agreed to this trip.

 

BTW, did you know how many scrapes and bruises you get on a hiking trip?

 

And man, I was COVERED in dirt!

 

The worst part was how stupid and clumsy I looked.

 

I fell like every two seconds. Super embarrassing!

 

But there was a gorgeous view...

 

 

Nice, right?

 

Now let's talk about birthday cake oreos.

 

I love those things.

 

Plus, they make great truffles with only 2 ingredients;

 

 

Gotta love those 2 ingredient recipes. (Not including dipping materials)

 

Best of all, it's no-bake, great for summer when you don't want to turn the oven on.

   Birthday Cake Oreo Truffles

   Makes about 15 truffles

           Ingredients:

• About 20 birthday cake Oreos
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla frosting (Add more or less depending on consistency.) 
• 1 1/2 cups candy melts in a color of your choice. (I used white) 
• Sprinkles or other decorations if desired

 Directions:

1. Mash up your Oreos in a food processor until they are reduced to crumbles
2. Put your Oreos in a bowl, and add the frosting, until you have a slightly doughy mixture
3. Roll your dough into quarter-sized ball shapes, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper
4. Continue until all the dough is used, then place baking sheet in the fridge for 3-4 hours, or until firm.
5. Melt your candy melts, and dip truffles into mix one by one until all balls are covered, decorating immediately after dipping.

 

 Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment telling me what you thought!

Bubble Gum Cupcakes

              
               I had a little girl's party to go to recently, and I offered to make the cupcakes.

So I asked her what flavor she wanted, thinking it would be like, ya know, vanilla or

something.  Clearly I do not know little girls.

She looked up at me, and yelled "Bubble Gum!"

"Uh, OK" I responded all stupidly, thinking, 'How am I going to make bubblegum cupcakes?"

The answer presented itself to me smack-dab in the middle of the baking aisle in Market

Basket.

          




I couldn't believe I had forgotten about this stuff!

Tell me you've heard of the Duncan Hines frosting creations.

This stuff has been all over the Internet, and I can't believe I had forgotten about it!

They have soo many flavor choices, my favorites being Cotton candy, cinnamon roll, and

mint chocolate. I can't wait to try them all!

And of course, they also had bubble gum!

 

Isn't it purdy?

Also, I had to make these gluten-free to accommodate everyone at the party, and this week

was too busy to make my own cake from scratch, so  I did some searching and found this:

Stonewall Kitchen Vanilla Cupcake mix!

I would have preferred a white cupcake for these particular cupcakes, but I had to make do

with what I had.

The cupcakes worked perfectly with the frosting!

I personally loved the frosting. It tasted just like bubblegum!

 

  Bubble Gum Cupcakes

Items needed:

• 1 box white or vanilla cake mix
• Items called for on the box
• 1 can of Duncan Hines frosting starters
• 1 packet of Duncan Hines bubble gum flavoring
• Mini gumballs (I bought mine The Paper Store)
 

1. Prepare your cupcakes as directed on the box.
2. Mix your flavoring packet with your can of frosting. 
3. Put your frosting in a piping bag, or just spread it with a knife.
4. Frost your cupcakes.
5. Decorate your cupcakes with your gumballs.
 
 
* FTC disclosure: Duncan Hines and Stonewall Kitchen did not provide me with anything, I bought it all myself, and all opinions are my own.
 
Hope you enjoyed! Please leave a comment telling me what you thought!
 
 

 

 

 

                

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