Baking and Cooking with Cheryl

Cherry Bars.
Grain Delivery Day Treats! I leave for my letter carrier and today the pest people come so some for him too!

The students made amazing cakes today!

Wonderful cake decorating class today!

Due to my sinus infection, I had to reschedule my cake decorating class from last week. Most were able to reschedule. Today ended up with one student, Thomas. He already had his own decorating set, so he brought it and we also used some of my Russian tips for flowers. I was able to customize this class for him. The cake he made was AMAZING! You would never know it was made by an eight-year-old!

Fighting a sinus infection but still “needed” to bake! I have not baked since Sunday!
Shortcakes for strawberry shortcake. Used 3 Ingredient Shortcake recipe that I kicked up a bit with cardamom and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Pre-pandemic, I had held some Children's Cake Decorating classes. I had someone reach out and ask if I would be doing them again.

I am checking to see if there would be enough interest. Most likely to be held on a Wednesday from 2 -4. Thinking cake decorating class for ages 3rd grade to 6th grade (older fine if they do not mind hanging with younger kids. (It would not hold back what they create - since we practice technique and then create on own) and then Cupcake Decorating for ages 5 to 8 - same thing, older is fine, if they don't mind. Picture of some of the cakes from a cake class.

Brownies are probably one of the first recipes that I started baking. This is tweaked from the Better Homes and Garden Cookbook that was my mom's and I still have. I often sprinkle the tops with one cup of M&M's along with the chips! I did not have any on hand today. The coffee crystals do not give a mocha taste by that along with the cinnamon enhance the chocolate flavor.

Cheryl’s Pumped-Up Brownies! Yield: 16 squares
½ c. Butter 2 – 1 oz sq Unsweetened Chocolate
1 c. Sugar 1 tsp Vanilla
½ tsp Cinnamon 1 Tbsp Instant Coffee Crystals
2 Eggs 1 cup Chocolate Chips
½ c. nuts - optional

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8”x8” pan.
2- In medium saucepan, melt butter and chocolate.
3- Remove from heat.
4- Stir in coffee crystals and vanilla.
5- Add eggs. (Add 3 if you like your brownies more cakey than fudgy.) Stir well.
6- Stir in flour and cinnamon. Nuts if using as well. Stir just until combined.
7- Pour into pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips across the top. Stir a bit.
8- Bake for 30 minutes. If a 9” x 9” pan I bake about 20/25 minutes.
9- Cool and then cut into number of portions you prefer. Traditional size is to cut four one way and four another resulting in 16 squares.

Busy morning! Sage, our dog, has vet appointment and made her favorite vet tech and friends chocolate chip cookie bars. Chance has a hoof/boot consult today and made her Gluten/Dairy Free blueberry muffins. When I asked if she has any dietary restrictions so I could bake her a treat she said, "Oh it is too much" I was expecting WAY more than just dairy and gluten, I Got This! AND they taste awesome! How is your morning? Can you tell I am a morning person! LOL!

The weekend was crazy busy, so I needed an "easy" cookie for the grain delivery from the Co-op. This is so easy for when I don't even want to think about measuring!

Quick as a Jiffy Lemon Cookies

15.25 oz Lemon Cake Mix
2 Eggs
½ c. Oil
1 Tbsp Lemon Juice/1Tbsp Lemon zest
Powdered Sugar

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2- Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
3- Combine cake mix, eggs, oil, lemon juice and lemon zest in bowl and mix just until combined.
4- If I have time, I pop it into the refrigerator for 15-20 minutes to stiffen up, but do not always have the time to do that. It just makes it a bit easier to work with since it is a sticky, loose dough.
5- Pour Powdered sugar into a separate bowl.
6- Scoop with small cookie scoop or tablespoon. Roll into the powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheet.
7- Bake for 9 – 11 minutes. Cool on the pan for a couple of minutes then transfer to a cooling rack. Bake just until the cookies are set and may have signs of golden on edge.
Yield: 2 dozen cookies

When your friend's parents celebrate 70 years of marriage you HAVE to bake them a cake!

I realized that I never shared the cake I made for Rebecca's College Graduation party! The golden spray looks more yellow in the pictures. It was a top layer of Funfetti and lower layer of Chocolate!

Work in progress!

SNICKERDOODLE COOKIES
1 cup butter softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 ¾ c Flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
Cinnamon - Sugar Mixture
1 tbsp cinnamon & 3 tbsp sugar (I sometimes need more)

1. Mix together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
2. Cream together sugar and butter. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well.
3. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix well.
4. Shape dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. I use a small scoop that is one tablespoon to scoop and roll.
5. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
6. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
7. Remove from pan and cool on cooling rack.
Yield: 3 Dozen

Notes-
- Cookies will be golden on the bottom and edges just starting to be golden.
- I sometimes use Apple Pie Spice instead of the Cinnamon in the “roll in” mixture.

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies.
Since baking powder is comprised of several ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies. It will also create a cake-like cookie.
Cream of tartar in cookies (as in Snickerdoodles) activates the baking soda and keeps sugar crystals from forming, so the cookies end up pillowy rather than crisp.

Mama’s Mac and Cheese

2 T. Butter ¼ c. Italian Seasoned Breadcrumbs
2 c. Elbow Macaroni
3 T. Butter 3 T. Flour
8 oz block Cracker Barrel 2% White Cheddar Cheese
2 c. Skim Milk

1- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2- Bring water to boil in saucepan. (I use a nonstick pan that I will later use to make the sauce to cut down on the number of pans used)
3- Add elbow macaroni and cook for 8 minutes. Drain. Set aside.
4- While macaroni cooks, cut cheese lengthwise and then lengthwise again so you have four long strips. Cut into cubes. Set aside.
5- Melt the 2 T. Butter in microwave safe bowl. Stir in breadcrumbs. Set aside.
6- Once macaroni has cooked, melt 3 T. butter over low heat, do not allow to burn. Add 3 T flour and whisk it until smooth. Continue to cook while whisking for one minute.
7- Pour in milk and whisk over medium (5) heat. It will begin to thicken. As it starts to thicken, add cheese, and stir until melted. Careful not to allow it to boil. This will break your sauce and cause it to curdle. You may see some graininess, but this is due to low fat content of cheese and milk. Large curdles are not good.
8- Stir in Macaroni. Pour into 4 cup casserole dish. Top with breadcrumb mixture.
9- At this point you can cover and place in fridge for later or bake immediately. If baking later, place casserole in a cold oven and turn oven on to preheat with it inside. This will prevent the casserole from cracking due to heat shock. A cold casserole will take longer to come to bubbly temperature. Usually about 40 minutes, depends on the depth of the casserole.
10- If eating right away, place in oven and bake for 20 – 30 minutes until bubbly.

I have decided to not sell Pampered Chef products any longer. I DO have lots of great friends who still are so I can give you a "lead" on something you may need! My page will now focus on FOOD -- ALL the foods! From cooking to baking and all the questions answered!

What to do with all the dyed eggs!?!

Today is National Peanut butter and Jelly day! Searching for recipes on the website I found the recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Nests. It is only available on the website for consultants. Drop me a GIF if you would like me to message it to you!

Ever in a quandry over which stone?