A Giveaway at PartyStarters!

There's a giveaway over at PartyStarters and you need to check it out. If you are like me, you are always looking for a way to save on Birthday Party Supplies. These sites offer gorgeous stuff that you could use for a birthday party, shower, tea, ladies' event, etc.

How about a chance to win a $50 store credit toTweedle Dee Designs as well as a $50 store credit to Party Starters? You could get everything you need to create one heck of a party! ONE lucky person will win and here are a few ways to enter your name. You have until Tuesday night, July 13, 2010 at 11:59 PM MST to enter, so don't delay!!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Kim gave me a bag of these back in November and they were delish. I think the secret to the delightful flavor is the coffee. . .Thanks Kim!

Heavenly Chocolate Chunk Cookies

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons self rising flour

¾ cup margarine

2 tablespoons instant coffee granules

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

½ cup granulated white sugar

1 large egg

1 egg yolk

1 (11.5 oz.) package semisweet chocolate mega-morsels

1 cup walnut halves, toasted

Combine first 3 ingredients; stir well.

Combine butter and coffee granules in a small saucepan or skillet. Cook over medium-low heat until butter melts and coffee granules dissolve, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, and let cool to room temperature (don’t let butter resolidify).

Combine butter mixture, sugars egg, and egg yolk in a large bowl. Beat at medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in mega-morsels and walnuts.

Drop dough be heaping tablespoonfuls 2” apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 325º for 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool slightly on cookie sheets. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Variation: For holidays, substitute mega-morsels with red & green colored baking chips or plain M&M’s.

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

My dear friend Kim Carper sent this to me, along with several more recipes that I will post in the next few days. Thanks Kim!

Chocolate Chip, Oats 'n Caramel Cookie Squares

Ingredients

• 1 roll (16.5 oz) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
• 1 cup quick-cooking oats
• Dash salt, if desired
• 2/3 cup caramel topping
• 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ¾ cup chopped walnuts
• 1 bag (6 oz) semisweet chocolate chips (1 cup)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in oats and salt. Reserve 1/2 cup dough for topping. In ungreased 9-inch square pan, press remaining dough mixture evenly in bottom to form crust.a
2. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until dough puffs and appears dry.
3. In small bowl, mix caramel topping, flour and vanilla until well blended. Sprinkle walnuts and chocolate chips evenly over crust. Drizzle evenly with caramel mixture. Crumble reserved 1/2 cup dough mixture over caramel.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pan to loosen bars. Cool completely, about 1 hour, 30 minutes. For bars, cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Store tightly covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake crust 12 to 14 minutes. After topping crust, bake 22 to 27 minutes

Cranberry Orange Scones

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 2 teaspoons grated orange rind
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2-3 tablespoons orange juice

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Mix together flour, 1/4 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Stir in cranberries and orange peel.
4. In a small bowl, mix buttermilk and egg; add to dry ingredients all at once, stirring until mixture is just moistened.
5. On a floured board, knead gently a few times, but not too much.
6. Form into a patty on an ungreased cookie sheet; cut into 8 wedges with a knife but do not move it.
7. Bake at 400 degrees F.
8. for 15-25 minutes or until light golden.
9. Mix together powdered sugar and orange juice into a glaze; drizzle over scones.
10. Separate scones and serve warm.

From Recipezaar.

Grilled Taco Nachos--This recipe sounds GREAT!

Grilled Taco Nachos from Betty Crocker

Honey Bun Cake--One of my Favorites!

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix


• 3/4 cup vegetable oil


• 4 eggs


• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream


• 1 cup brown sugar


• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon


• 2 cups confectioners' sugar


• 4 tablespoons milk


• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).


2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone.


3. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 9x13 inch glass baking dish.


4. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan.


5. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon.


6. Twirl the cake with a butter knife or icing knife until it looks like a honey bun (or whatever design you want to make).


7. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.


8. Frost cake while it is still fairly hot.


9. Serve warm.


10. To Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.

Honey Bun Cake--One of my Favorites!

• 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 eggs
• 1 (8 ounce) container sour cream
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups confectioners' sugar
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cake mix, oil, eggs and sour cream. Stir by hand approximately 50 strokes, or until most large lumps are gone.
3. Pour half of the batter into an ungreased 9x13 inch glass baking dish.
4. Combine the brown sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle over the batter in the cake pan.
5. Spoon the other half of the batter into the cake pan, covering the brown sugar and cinnamon.
6. Twirl the cake with a butter knife or icing knife until it looks like a honey bun (or whatever design you want to make).
7. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Frost cake while it is still fairly hot.
9. Serve warm.
10. To Make the frosting: In a small bowl, whisk together the confectioner's sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth.

The Cheesecake Factory White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cheesecake--Oh Yeah Baby!

OK. I know what you are thinking. This is not quick. It is not cheap. And it sure isn't fat-free. This is one of those special occasion recipes. . .enjoy!


Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs or 20 crumbled Oreo cookies (filling removed)
1/3 cup margarine, melted

Filling:
1/2 cup raspberry preserves
1/4 cup water
4 8-ounce pkgs. cream cheese
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 eggs
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped into chunks

Optional Garnish:
2 ounces shaved white chocolate
whipped cream

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place a large pan or oven-safe skillet filled with about 1/2-inch of water into the oven while it preheats. This will be your water bath.

2. Combine the raspberry preserves with 1/4 cup water in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 1 1/2 minutes on high in your microwave. Stir until smooth. Strain to remove the raspberry seeds (toss 'em out), then let the strained preserves sit to cool, then put the bowl in the refrigerator until later.

3. Measure 1 1/2 cups chocolate cookie crumbs (or crush 20 Oreo cookie wafers -- with the filling scraped out -- in a resealable plastic bag) into a medium bowl. Mix in 1/3 cup melted margarine. Press the crumb into a 9-inch spring form pan that has been lined on the bottom and side with parchment paper. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumb mixture flat into the bottom of the pan and about 2/3 the way up the side. Wrap a large piece of foil around the bottom of the pan to keep the cheesecake in the water bath. Put the crust in your freezer until the filling is done.

4. Use an electric mixer to combine the cream cheese with the sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix for a couple minutes or until the ingredients are smooth and creamy. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Whisk the eggs in a medium bowl and then add them to the cream cheese mixture. Blend the mixture just enough to integrate the eggs.

5. Remove the crust from the freezer and sprinkle 4 ounces of white chocolate chunks onto the bottom of the crust. Pour half of the cream cheese filling into the crust. Drizzle the raspberry preserves over the entire surface of the filling. Use a butter knife to swirl the raspberry into the cream cheese. Just a couple passes is fine, you don't want to blend the raspberry and cream cheese together too much. Pour the other half of the filling into the crust.

6. Carefully place the cheesecake into the water bath in the oven. Bake for 12 minutes at 475 degrees, then turn the oven down to 350 degrees and bake for 50 to 60 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake turns a light brown or tan color. Remove the cheesecake from the oven to cool. When the cheesecake is cool, use the foil from the bottom to cover the cheesecake and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

7. Before serving, sprinkle the entire top surface of cheesecake with 2 ounces of shaved white chocolate. To serve, slice the cheesecake into 12 equal portions. Apply a pile of canned whipped cream to the top of each slice and serve.

Makes 12 servings.

Swappin' Strawberry Frap--Hungry-Girl Style

A Berry Good Thing!

Here's an amazing guilt-free swap you can make in your own home. Save time, money and calories with this awesome recipe!

• 2/3 cup frozen strawberries (just plain- NOT in syrup!)
• 5 oz. light vanilla soy milk
• 2 tsp. Fat Free French Vanilla Coffee-mate powder (dissolved in an oz of warm water)
• 1 oz. Sugar Free Torani Strawberry Syrup
• 3 Splenda packets
• 3 large ice cubes
• 2 tbsp. Fat Free Reddi-Whip

1. Place all of the ingredients in blender, except for the whipped cream.
2. Blend on high speed for 30-45 seconds.
3. Pour, and top with Fat Free Reddi-Wip.

Strawberrylicious!

Serving Size:
12 oz. with whipped topping Calories: 119 Fat: 1g Sodium: 102mg
Carbs: 21g Fiber: 2g Sugar: 14g Protein: 4g

What a Cool Idea! Bite-Sized Beauties

• Slice kiwi into 1/4 inch thick slices, then use a cookie cutter (heart or star shaped) to cut out the middles.
• Cut (heart or star) shapes from 1/4 inch melon slices and fit the melon shape into the opening of the kiwi.

AWWWW. How cute!