Summer Time Sweets 
 
The weather has changed and I love it!!!  My family of course love cupcakes and especially warm cupcakes but sometimes it is so refreshing to make a cool sweet treat!!!  Here is a recipe for one of my favorites .... Banana Split Cake it is perfect for Sunday Dinner ,nice cookout rreat or a midnight snack !  Hope you enjoy!!

BTW did I mention this one is no bake??

9 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams, crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
 1cup sugar, divided
 1/3 cup butter, melted
 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
 1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple in juice, drained
 6 bananas, divided
 2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant
Pudding
2 cups cold milk
2cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
1 cup chopped PLANTERS
Pecans
* chocolate syrup and cherries for additional toppings

MIX crumbs, 1/4 cup sugar and butter; press onto bottom of
13x9-inch pan.  Freeze 10 min.
BEAT cream cheese and
remaining sugar with mixer until well blended.  Spread carefully over crust; top
with pineapple.  Slice 4 bananas; arrange over pineapple.


BEAT pudding mixes and milk
with whisk 2 min. until well blended.  Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP; spread over
banana layer in pan.  Top with remaining COOL WHIP.  Refrigerate 5 hours.  Slice
remaining 2 bananas just before serving; arrange over dessert.  Top with nuts.

ENJOY

Danielle

Some of my Fondest memories were created in the kitchen with my mom, her mom and her mom's mom... Okay to make that simple.. My mother, grandmother and great grandmother.  I spent a lot of time with each of these ladies and never did I think I would actually be able to use those lessons and recipes later on in life.  Going to my grandmothers house was the highlight of my week.  I knew that once I got there she would ask "What do you have a taste for?" and from there we would plan out our menu.  My grandmother never took shortcuts in the kitchen, each meal began with a appetizer and ended with a dessert.  Sometimes I wondered why my grandmother cooked so much for someone who lived by themselves but rest assure one, two or 3 of her six kids would drop by at any given time and they new a meal would be prepared.  I remember my favorite meal I learned to cook with her was Chicken and HOMEMADE dumplings .. I can hear her telling me to use some elbow grease when I was rolling the dumplings and instead of using chicken we used hen for the flavor, potato salad, Collard Greens and Lemon Meringue Pie.  I made this dinner the first night I moved into my first apartment and I really felt accomplished lol.  Another one of my favorite meals would be Fish Fridays .. we would have crab, oysters, fish, fried potatoes and sliced bread and I had to learn to master eating fish without choking on the bones... oh and cheesecake for dessert.

Now my great grandmother was famous for her Poundcakes, Cakes and Pies. I made it my personal mission to learn how to make every single sweet I could from her.  I was so amazed that even with Alziemers later on in life she still remembered her recipes and passed them on to me.

My mother was the gourmet cook.. Half of the foods she made I cannot pronunce and the other have I tried my best to create shortcuts...lol  But I have learned there is no short cutting great food.. My mother is the type that if you ask her for Candy she will say "okay ,go in the kitchen and lets get started" or if we wanted Pizza then it was "lets go to the store and choose our toppings" :) My mother also made the best bread pudding and brownies that I have now by request added to my own menu. 

Hopefully one day my children will add some of my reciepes to thier families menus .... I will just have to wait and see....

Great Grandmas Poundcake
Ingredients

• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) butter, plus more for pan


• 1/2 cup vegetable shortening


• 3 cups sugar


• 5 eggs


• 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for pan


• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt


• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder


• 1 cup milk


• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


With a mixer, cream butter and shortening together. Add sugar, a little at a
time. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition. Stir dry ingredients
together in a bowl and add to mixer alternately with milk, starting with the
flour and ending with the flour. Mix in vanilla. Pour into a greased and floured
tube pan and bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until a toothpick inserted in the center
of the cake comes out clean.

OMG I woke up craving a hostess cupcake!  I have not had one of those in about 30 years when my sister and I went to the corner bakery and purchased a two pack and found something inside and it wasnt the creme ewwwww....   From that point on I have not looked at one of those cupcakes or even thought about one until now so I thought to myself maybe Its meant for me to make one of my own...  So here is a recipe that will be sure to take care of the craving>

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine
⅓ cup Dutch-processed cocoa
powder
¾ cup brewed coffee, still hot
¾ cup all purpose flour
¾ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons
vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon vanilla
extract


For the Filling:
1 cup
marshmallow creme
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup
powdered sugar


For the Ganache
Frosting:
2½ ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
¼ cup
heavy cream


For the White Icing:
1
cup powdered sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tablespoon
whole milk
Splash vanilla extract


Directions:

1. Make the Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper or
foil liners.


2. Place the chocolate and cocoa in a medium bowl. Pour the coffee over the
mixture and let sit, covered, for 5 minutes. Whisk the mixture gently until
smooth, then transfer to the refrigerator to cool completely, about 20
minutes.


3. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.



4. Whisk the oil, eggs, vinegar and vanilla extract into the cooled chocolate
mixture until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the chocolate mixture and whisk
until smooth.


5. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until set
and just firm to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool in the tin
on a wire rack until cool enough to handle, about 10 minutes. Remove each
cupcake from the tin, set on the wire rack, and let cool completely before
filling and frosting, about 1 hour. (Unfrosted cupcakes can be stored at room
temperature for up to 1 day.)


6. Make the Filling: Beat
the marshmallow creme and butter on medium speed until soft and light, about 2
minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Once it has
all been incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for an
additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until very light and fluffy. Transfer the filling
to a pastry bag fitted with a large, round tip (I used an Ateco #804) and
refrigerate until ready to use.


7. Make the Ganache
Frosting: Place the chopped chocolate in a small bowl. Place the cream in
a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Remove from the stove,
and immediately pour over the chopped chocolate. Let stand for 2 minutes, then
gently whisk together until a smooth ganache forms. Set aside to thicken for 5
to 10 minutes.


8. Make the White Icing:
Beat together the powdered sugar, butter, milk and vanilla on medium speed until
completely blended and smooth. Transfer the icing to a pastry bag fitted with a
small, round tip (I used a Wilton #3) and refrigerate until ready to use.


9. Assemble the Cupcakes:
Using a 1-inch round cookie cutter (or the bottom of a large decorating tip),
cut the centers out of the cooled cupcakes, going about two-thirds of the way
down (just like I did in these cupcakes). Using the prepared pastry bag,
pipe filling into the holes of each cupcake. If any filling spills over the top,
just scrape it off so the top stays smooth.


10. Once all of the cupcakes have been filled, take them one at a time and
dip them, top-side-down, into the ganache. Dip them down to where the liners
starts, so that the entire top is covered. Allow any excess to drip off, then
place back on the cooling rack, right-side up. Once all of the cupcakes have
been topped with ganache, transfer the cooling rack to the refrigerator for 20
to 30 minutes to allow the ganache to firm up and set.


11. Once the ganache is firm, take your pastry bag with the white icing and
pipe the decorative curls across the top of each cupcake. Allow to set for about
15 minutes before serving. Any leftover cupcakes should be stored in an airtight
container in the refrigerator.

Yes, I love dessert for breakfast just as much as I love breakfast for dinner :) well I love fruit desserts; and I think they go great with my morning cup of coffee.  Here is a treat that I absolutely love for breakfast.

Danielles Apple Crisp - Skillet Style

Ingredients:

For the Topping:
¾ cup
all-purpose flour
¾ cup pecans, chopped fine
¾ cup old-fashioned rolled oats
½ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground
cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted


For the Filling:
3 pounds
Golden Delicious apples (about 7 medium), peeled, cored, halved, and cut into
½-inch-thick wedges
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
cup apple cider
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted
butter


Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.


2. Make the Topping: Combine
the flour, pecans, oats, brown sugar, granulated sugar, cinnamon and salt in a
medium bowl. Stir in the butter until the mixture is thoroughly moistened and
crumbly. Set aside while preparing the filling.


3. Make the Filling: Toss
the apples, granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a large bowl; set aside.
Bring the apple cider to a simmer in a 12-inch ovensafe skillet over medium
heat; cook until reduced to ½ cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer the reduced apple
cider to a small bowl or liquid measuring cup; stir in the lemon juice and set
aside.


4. Heat the butter in the now-empty skillet over medium heat. When the
foaming subsides, add the apple mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until the
apples begin to soften and become translucent, 12 to 14 minutes. (Do not fully
cook the apples.) Remove the pan from the heat and gently stir in the apple
cider mixture until the apples are coated.


5. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit, breaking up any large chunks.
Place the skillet on a baking sheet and bake until the fruit is tender and the
topping is deep golden brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on a wire rack until warm,
at least 15 minutes, and serve with vanilla ice cream or whipped
cream.

Growing up we made our candy, I guess thats why we didnt ask for it as much because it wasnt as simple as just going to the store and buying a snicker bar we had to go through the entire process. And some how my mom had a recipe for everything... Well this is our take on a Snickers Bar... Hope you enjoy

Ingredients:

For the Bottom Chocolate
Layer:
1¼ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut butter


For the Nougat Layer:
4
tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup evaporated
milk
1½ cups marshmallow fluff
¼ cup creamy peanut butter
1½ cups
salted peanuts, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


For the Caramel Layer:
14
ounces caramels, unwrapped
¼ cup heavy cream


For the Top Chocolate
Layer:
1¼ cups milk chocolate chips
¼ cup creamy peanut
butter


Directions:

1. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan. Line with parchment paper, then grease the
parchment paper; set aside.


2. Make the Bottom Chocolate
Layer: Melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the
microwave on 50% power until completely smooth and melted, stirring every 30
seconds. Pour into the prepared baking dish and, using a spatula, smooth into an
even layer. Refrigerate until completely cool and hard, about 30 minutes.


3. Make the Nougat Layer:
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar and
evaporated milk, stirring until dissolved, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat
to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the pan from heat
and add the marshmallow fluff, peanut butter, and vanilla extract, stirring
until completely smooth. Fold in the peanuts, then pour over the bottom
chocolate layer. Again, refrigerate until completely cool, about 30 minutes.


4. Make the Caramel Layer:
Combine the caramels and the heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat.
Melt, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Once completely melted, cook for an
additional 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Pour the caramel over the nougat
layer. Refrigerate until completely cool, about 30 minutes.


5. Make the Top Chocolate
Layer: Melt together the chocolate chips and peanut butter in the
microwave on 50% power until completely smooth and melted, stirring every 30
seconds. Pour over the caramel layer and, using a spatula, smooth into an even
layer. Refrigerate until completely cool and set, 30 to 60 minutes.


6. Using the parchment liner, remove the bars from the pan and cut into 32
pieces. You can store these in the refrigerator or at room temperature. I find
the filling to be the best consistency at room temperature, but the chocolate
can get a little melty depending on how warm your house is. If your house runs
warm (higher than 72 or so) you might want to keep them in the fridge and then
take them out an hour or two before you want to serve them

I recently started my journey to become a healthier "me"!! While running a business that specializes in so many sweet treats. I must say at first I was a little scared and didn't know how it would work being in a kitchen all day with so many temptations but then I knew that it was mental for me and I would not let the fear of failing overcome. When I began my journey I first set a goal, made a fitness plan and decided that I would not give up the the foods I love( cake pops, banana pudding and cupcakes :)) but I would learn portion control and discipline then reward myself for a job well done. I must say I have been pleasantly surprised. I work out everyday ,drink water through out the day, I eat small meals during the day and on one weekend day I reward myself! How do I reward myself?? I love cake pops! I have a cake pop and a glass of water for one of my snacks and my sweet tooth is fulfilled also I am able to freeze a dozen of cake pops and pull my treat out when I want it and the same with cupcakes. Sometimes I have a sample size banana pudding and a glass of water. Sweet tooth taken care of!! I used to treat myself with a glass of milk but it is really important that I have an adequate amount of water every day and having water after my treats also helps me in feeling fuller longer. I don't feel that by being healthy I have to cut out the things I love. This is my personal journey and works for me but we all have to find what best works for us! So in closing ... Be happy and find your healthy medium!! I would love to hear how you reward yourself!!

Did you know that the first mention of the word "cupcake" can be traced back as far as 1796. Cupcake by definition a cake baked in small cups. The first written document speaking about cupcakes was written by Amelia Simmons " American Cookery"

ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!!  Well growing up on my Birthday my Great Grandmother would make my Birthday cake and It was always a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting... Well for years I have been trying to come up with a recipe but today I was feeling a little lazy ( i mean it is my Birthday) and I looked on the back of my Hershey Cocoa and said Why not??? I made the cake that was on the back of the container and It was great !!!!  SO here is my Birthday pres

So I have been drinking Meal replacement shakes ... Chocolate flavor ... Well this afternoon I was going to cheat :(  and go get me a Frappe Mocha and then I looked up the calories and changed my mind so I decieded to make the shake as usual but this time making it with 4 oz of cofee and ice in the blender and OH MY GOODNESS !!!!  My craving satisfied with adding only 50 calories opposed to the 500 e

If your answer was "Dark"   You are correct!!  The darker the chocolate is, often the less the fat and sugar it has..  Plus dark chocolate is usually the least proceessed... that means it has the most antioxidant like flavonoids, which help lower blood pressure and cholesterol.