A perfect summer recipe!

Yummy!!  Grab some Chevron Cupcake liners and Baker's Twine from the store and make today!!

Strawberry Lemonade Cupcakes

Sweet, tart and perfect for summer!

Yield: 12-14 cupcakes (or 8-9 cupcakes in a jar)

ingredients:

Lemon Cupcakes
1 1/4 cups cake flour
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon pure lemon extract
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest
1/2 cup oil (vegetable, canola or extra light olive oil)
1/2 cup sour cream (any fat content)

Strawberry Frosting
1/2 cup butter
4oz. (1/2 block) cream cheese (cold)
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 Tablespoons strawberry jam
2-3 fresh strawberries, pureed (or very finely chopped)
1 Tablespoon heavy cream, or milk, as needed

directions:

Lemon Cupcakes

* Preheat oven to 350*F.
* In a medium bowl, add cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with whisk, and set aside.
* In the bowl of an electric mixer, add eggs and beat 10-20 seconds. Add sugar and continue to beat on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add vanilla, lemon extract, lemon juice, zest and oil, beat. Add sour cream and blend until combined.
* Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture. Mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
* Pour (or scoop) batter into a muffin pan prepared with paper liners. Fill liners about 2/3 full (no more).
* Bake cupcakes in pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes

Strawberry Frosting

* In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until fully smooth.
* Add cream cheese, and again beat until fully incorporated and very smooth.
* While mixing on low speed, add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time.
* Add vanilla extract, then strawberry jam and beat until well combined.
* If the frosting is very thick, add heavy cream or milk, then beat until light and fluffy.
* Frost on cooled cupcakes.

Recipe Source - Glorious Treats

Frosting notes - If the jam you are using has large chunks in it, you may need to blend in a food processor or press through a fine strainer before adding to the frosting. Feel free to replace strawberry jam and strawberries with raspberry jam. Depending on the ripeness of your berries, you may want to add 1 drop of pink food coloring to the icing. To make lemon frosting, omit the jam, berries and cream, and add 1-2 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice.

Cupcake in a jar assembly- Remove cupcake liners, and slice cooled cupcakes in half (horizontally). Add one cupcake half to a jar, then a layer of icing (using a piping bag or ziplock type bag with the end snipped off), then repeat with two more layers of cake and icing. Garnish with fresh fruit, as desired.

The jars pictured are 1/2 pint, standard mouth caning jars.

Happy Thanksgiving!!

After-Thanksgiving Turkey Soup

1 leftover turkey carcass

3 medium onions, chopped

2 large carrots, diced

2 celery ribs, diced

1 cup butter, cubed

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 cups half-and-half cream

1 cup uncooked long grain rice

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules

3/4 teaspoon pepper

Place turkey carcass in a soup kettle or Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour. Remove carcass; cool. Set aside 3 qt. broth. Remove turkey from bones and cut into bite-size pieces; set aside.

In a soup kettle or Dutch oven, saute the onions, carrots and celery in butter until tender. Reduce heat; stir in flour until blended. Gradually add 1 qt. of reserved broth. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
Add cream, rice, salt, bouillon, pepper, remaining broth and reserved turkey. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until rice is tender.

Happy Halloween!!

Jack-o'-Lantern "Cake"

1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened

1 tsp. vanilla

4 drops yellow food coloring

1 drop red food coloring

1 pkg. (16 oz.) powdered sugar, sifted (4 to 4-1/2 cups)

1 Tbsp. green colored sugar

5 OREO Cookies, divided

2 Miniature Marshmallows, cut in half 

PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 24 cupcakes, blending dry pudding mix into batter before spooning into prepared cups. Cool completely.

BEAT cream cheese, butter, vanilla and food colorings in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until well blended.

ARRANGE cupcakes on large platter to resemble a stemmed pumpkin as shown in diagram; frost with cream cheese mixture. Use colored sugar to fill in the stem. Add 2 cookies for the jack-o'-lantern's eyes. Crush remaining cookies; sprinkle over cake for the mouth. Arrange marshmallow halves in mouth for the teeth. Keep refrigerated.

Weekend Game!

It's the big 1st Bronco game tomorrow, are you ready???  Whip up this tasty treat to score big with the team!!

Cheesy Football

What You Need:
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Miracle Whip Dressing
1/4 tsp. Pepper
2 Green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped Pecans
2 Tbsp. Pimiento strips
RITZ Crackers

Make It:
BEAT first 5 ingredients with mixer until blended. Stir in onions. Refrigerate several hours.
FORM into football shape; coat with nuts.
ADD pimientos for the lacing. Serve with crackers.

Happy 4th of July!!

All-American Sundae

1 slice prepared pound cake (about 1 oz.)

1/2 cup vanilla ice cream

2 Tbsp. strawberry ice cream topping

2 Tbsp. thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

1/2 cup assorted fresh fruit (blueberries, raspberries, sliced peeled kiwi and sliced strawberries) 

PLACE cake slice on dessert plate; top with remaining ingredients.

SERVE immediately.

Bring out the SUN!!

It's June 1st and the weather should be hot & sunny!!  Make a pitcher of this punch, pour yourself a glass and enjoy the sun (when it eventually comes out!)

SUNset Punch

2 cups water
1 cup KOOL-AID Tropical Punch Flavor Sugar-Sweetened Soft Drink Mix
1 cup orange juice 1 bottle (1 liter) carbonated lemon-lime beverage, chilled

ADD water to drink mix in 1-1/2-quart pitcher; stir until drink mix is completely dissolved. Stir in orange juice.
REFRIGERATE several hours or until chilled.
POUR into punch bowl when ready to serve. Stir in carbonated beverage. Serve over ice cubes, if desired.

ENJOY!!

Happy Mother's Day!!

Here is a quick and easy dessert:

Mother's Little Angel Cake

1 pkg. prepared round angel food cake (10 inch)
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1 cup halved strawberries 

PLACE cake on serving plate.
FROST top and side of cake with whipped topping. Decorate top of cake with strawberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves, if desired.
REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour or until ready to serve. Store leftover cake in refrigerator.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Show that the Leprechaun visited your house with a batch of these cookies:

Leprechaun Hat Cookies

1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container (1 lb) Rich & Creamy vanilla frosting
1/4 teaspoon green gel or paste food color
24 large marshmallows
24 small (1-inch) chewy chocolate candies
12 small green gumdrops

Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. Roll dough in 24 (1-inch) balls. On ungreased cookie sheets, place 2 inches apart.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately place marshmallow on each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
In microwavable bowl, microwave frosting on High 30 seconds. Stir; frosting should be a thick spoon-able glaze. Stir food color into frosting, adding more if needed to achieve desired color. Spoon warm frosting over each cookie, coating completely and allowing excess to drip off. Let stand 20 minutes to set.
Roll chocolate candies into ropes. Flatten with rolling pin into 1/8-inch-thick ribbons. Cut into strips with scissors to resemble hat bands; arrange around base of marshmallow on each cookie. Cut gumdrops crosswise in half (reshaping as needed). Press cut side onto hat band. Lift cookies onto serving platter with pancake turner, leaving excess frosting behind. Store in airtight container.

All day today, March 17th in the store, all "shamrock" themed papers 20% off!! Hurry in before the Leprechaun magically makes them disappear!!

14 days of Valentines......

Day Fourteen of Valentines:

Lovin' Sweetcakes

what you need:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin, or any red flavor
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup seasonal colored sprinkles

Make It:
PREPARE cake batter as directed on package. Stir in dry powered gelatin until well blended.
LINE 24 medium muffin cups with paper liners. Pour batter evenly into cups, filling each cup 1/2 full. Place a small marble or 1/2-inch ball of foil between each liner and one side of the cup, pushing the paper in to form a heart shape. Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool completely; remove marble or foil.
SPREAD 2 Tbsp. whipped topping onto top of each cupcake. Decorate with sprinkles as desired. Store cupcakes in refrigerator.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

We hope you get to spend the day surrounded by people you love. Doing things you love. And making memories you will love to remember.

Welcome in the New Year with these!

Celebrating the New Year with family and friends? Take this delicious dish everyone will be talking about all year long!

Jelly Balls

1 lb. lean ground beef
1 egg, beaten
½ cup fine bread crumbs
3 TBSP. chopped parsley
½ cup chopped onion
1 TSP. Worcestershire Sauce
Salt & pepper to taste

Chili Grape Sauce:
12oz. bottle chili sauce
10oz. jar grape jelly
1 TSP. lemon juice
2 TBSP. brown sugar
1 TBSP. soy sauce

Mix ground beef with egg, bread crumbs, parsley, onion, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Roll into 1” balls. Heat chili sauce, jelly, lemon juice, brown sugar and soy sauce in a large pot. Bring to a boil and add uncooked meatballs. Simmer meatballs in sauce for 30 minutes. Serve in a chafing dish.
Makes about 50 balls. Freezes well!

If you enjoy this recipe, be sure to sign up to attend our Recipe Class on January 20th and get more great recipe ideas from Candace. This Jelly Ball recipe is one of four for the January Class and each month Candace makes 4 new recipes to enjoy!

We also have weekly Recipe Kits for sale in store ~ come check them out! Be a new cook for the new year!!

Have a safe and healthy New Year!!

Oreo Eggnog

1 qt. (4 cups) prepared eggnog
18 OREO Cookies, divided
1 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

PLACE eggnog and 10 cookies in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth.
POUR into 8 glasses; top evenly with the whipped topping.
SERVE each topped with 1 of the remaining 8 cookies.

Sit back and relax! You have worked hard for this day.
We wish you all a Very Merry Christmas!