Confetti Cups!!!

Posted on June 7, 2011 by Ruthanne
Chewy “confetti” cookie cups are filled to overflowing with a tart blue raspberry lemonade cream. This is a kid-friendly, fun recipe that can double as a refreshing summer dessert for all ages!
INGREDIENTS:
  • 1 tube (18 oz.) of Pillsbury refrigerated sugar cookie dough
  • 2  1/2 cups of Fruit Loops
  • 8 oz. of PHILADELPHIA cream cheese (room temp)
  • 1 packet (0.23oz.) of Kool-Aid (Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade)
  • 2 cups of Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
  • 8 oz. Cool Whip Topping
DIRECTIONS:
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Place 2 cups of Fruit Loops in a zip-top bag and roll then into crumbs using a rolling pin.
  • Place cookie dough into a mixing bowl and add Fruit Loop crumbs.  Using hands, mix together until well-blended.
  • Scoop cookie dough into a greased muffin tin, evenly dividing the dough between all 12 cups.
  • Bake cookie dough at 350 degrees for 12 minutes (or until browned around edges).
  • Remove from oven and allow cookies to sit in pan and firm up for about 3-5 minutes.
  • Run a small knife around the edges of each cup before popping it out and putting it on a plate.
  • Using a mini-tart shaper or the end of a wooden spoon, press the center of each cookie in to form a cup.
  • Chill cups until they are no longer warm to the touch (about 10 minutes)
  • For filling:  Cream together cream cheese and Kool-Aid until completely blended.
  • Add Marshmallow Creme and mix thoroughly.
  • Add 1 cup of Cool Whip and mix until smooth and creamy.
  • Place filling in a large zip-top bag and clip a corner.
  • Pipe filling evenly into each cookie cup.
  • Place about 1 c. of Cool Whip into a zip-top bag, clip a corner and pipe this on top of the filling.
  • Crush remaining 1/2 cup of Fruit Loops and sprinkle over the top.
  • Serve immediately or freeze and serve chilled.
My thoughts:  After making my Fruit Loop Pie for Real Women of Philadelphia and realizing that I couldn’t enter it into the contest because of the length of time required for the filling to set up I obsessed over how to make it work so I could use this filling (it is SO incredibly good!!!!!)  I knew the filling would work great in a cup and incorporating the cookie dough makes it quick and easy…I think I like these better than the original Fruit Loop Pie crust!  Individual desserts are just so fun!  ENJOY!!!


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Chocolate-covered Strawberry Cheesecake!!

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Ruthanne

White chocolate cheesecake covered with chocolate dipped strawberries??? I’ll have some of that! (in fact I went off my diet and did– just a little….)  This is my standard cheesecake recipe with a twist- it’s surrounded by Nilla Wafers and topped with loads of dipped strawberries!  Fun and fancy- you will impress your guests with this cheesecake!

INGREDIENTS:

Cheesecake:

  • 9 oz. chocolate wafer cookies (I use animal crackers)
  • 15-20 Nilla Wafers
  • 1/4 c. margarine (melted)
  • 2 (8oz.) packages of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened)
  • 1/2c. sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 c. white chocolate chips (melted)
  • 1 c. heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tbsp. margarine (melted)
  • 3 tsp. vanilla

Toppings:

DIRECTIONS:
Cheesecake:
  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees
  • Crush cookies into fine crumbs and add melted margarine.  Combine well and press into the bottom of a 9-Inch Springform Pan
    .
  • Gently press Nilla wafers upright along the edges of the crust.
  • Beat softened cream cheese with sugar until smooth.
  • Add eggs one at a time, beating in between each one.
  • Add remaining cheesecake ingredients, beating until smooth.
  • Pour into crust and allow to sit at room temp for 30 minutes.
  • Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 60 minutes.
  • Turn off oven, open oven door a little and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.
  • Remove from oven and run knife around edge of pan.  Remove edge of pan. 
  • Allow cheesecake to come to room temperature and then refrigerate overnight.
Toppings:
  • CHOCOLATE:  Put 1/2c. whipping cream into saucepan and heat just until bubbling at edges.  Turn heat off, add chocolate chips, cover and allow to sit for 5 minutes.
  • After 5 minutes, stir until smooth.
  • Pour over top of cheesecake and allow this to harden.
  • STRAWBERRIES: Take the top off each strawberry and wash well.  Allow these to dry completely on paper towel.
  • Melt both dark and white chocolate candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until completely melted.
  • Gently dip strawberries in chocolate (half in dark and half in white).  Use a fork to drain away excess chocolate and set on parchment paper to harden.
  • Put remaining melted chocolate in ziplock bags.  Clip a corner and drizzle each strawberry with its opposite color.
  • Allow these to completely harden.
  • Add powdered sugar to remaining cup of  whipping cream and whip with mixer (you could use Cool Whip to save time on this part).
  • Spoon whipped cream into a zip-lock bag with a decorative tip added into one corner.
  • Gently place hardened dipped strawberries on cheesecake.
  • Pipe whipped cream around edges and between berries.
  • Keep chilled.  Serve the same day as you place the berries (they will eventually get “soggy”  if they sit too long.
  • ENJOY!!!
My thoughts:
This is the only recipe I’ve ever won a contest with.  Two, in fact!  The 1st was a recipe contest through our local newspaper.  The second was a contest with Ferrara Pan Candy Company.  It isn’t a recipe thats quick and easy, but it’s fun to make and sure to impress!!!  Here’s a couple of tips:  Get more than enough strawberries- you want similar sizes and you will need to go through a few to find enough of the same size.  Start placing the strawberries in the middle with the largest.  The smaller berries are easier to squeeze in around the edges 🙂  Enjoy!!!  r-
This recipe was shared on these wonderful blogs:

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My First Attempt at Cake Pops :)

Posted on May 30, 2011 by Ruthanne

 

It’s Memorial Day.  I have extra down time and I start thinking about cake pops– they are all the rage these days…I look up some info by googling “What are Cake Pops?” and get literally hundreds of recipes for these little treats.  Cake + Frosting= balls of happiness.  Add a stick and cover them in chocolate–CAKE POPS!  So I decided to give them a try…..

INGREDIENTS:

(we went with only things I already had in the house, but these flavors were really yummy!)

  • 1 box of yellow cake mix (and water, oil and eggs to make according to package)
  • 1/2 tub of Wiltons decorating frosting
  • 1 bag of Wilton Dark Candy Cocoa Melts
  • Small amounts of Wilton colored candy melts to decorate with
  • 24 Lollipop sticks

DIRECTIONS:

  • Make cake according to directions and cool.
  • Cut cake into small pieces and scoop into a large mixing bowl.
  • Using a hand mixer, blend cake into crumbs.

Crumbs!!!

  • Add frosting and mix with mixer until combined.
  • Using hands, knead cake and frosting into a dough-like consistency
  • Use a cookie scoop to measure out scoops of dough.  Roll into balls with hands.

Cake and Frosting balls (and Casper watching for crumbs!)

  • Melt dark chocolate candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
  • Dip the end of a sucker stick into the chocolate and press into the top of each ball of dough.  Allow this chocolate to harden.

Pre-dipped sucker sticks.

  • Dip entire ball of dough into remaining chocolate- covering completely.  Set upright by putting end of stick in a block of styrofoam (or I used a shoebox that I poked holes into!)

Dipping....

Creative use of a shoe box....

  • Melt colored candy melts in the same manner as you melted the dark chocolate ones and drizzle over the top .

Drizzle drizzle....

  • Allow chocolate to harden completely and serve!
    My thoughts:  What a glorious mess this made. wow.  In almost every answer on “how to make cake pops” I read something along the lines of- these take practice…don’t expect your first batch to be beautiful etc…and I disregarded this thinking that I’ve dipped almost everything I own in chocolate- how hard could this be???  
    The cake part is easy.  Making crumbs- easy. Mixing in frosting and making balls- easy.  Sticks- easy.  Dipping these?   CRAZY messy!   After my 1st five pops were dipped I decided that I was never doing this again.  By pop #15 I was thinking I might do this again- but not for 20 years.  I dropped pop #22 on the ground and had to eat it (well I couldn’t serve it could I??)
    One bite in and  I decide I am making these for EVERYTHING!!!!  I’d never tasted one of these and I am blown away- no wonder everyone is going through the hassle!
    Advice:
    1.  Don’t wear your favorite white shirt while making these. 😦
    2. Eat these over a plate so that when they fall apart you don’t have to wonder how clean the floor is.
    3. These take practice- don’t expect your 1st batch to be beautiful- lol 🙂
    ENJOY!!!!!!!! r-

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Peanut Butter Fudge Cookies

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Ruthanne

Fudgy bonbon cookies

These decadent fudge cookies are filled with creamy peanut butter…the secret ingredient?  Philadelphia Cream Cheese!  You’ll have a hard time deciding if you are eating candy or a cookie- so you’ll have to eat another of course- to help you decide!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 25-30 cookies)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Soften Philadelphia cream cheese in microwave until completely smooth.
  • Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between.
  • Add cream cheese to melted chocolate and blend well.
  • Add flour and stir into a thick dough consistency.
  • Flatten about 1 T. of dough in your palm, place a peanut butter cup in the center and gently wrap the dough around the cup until it is completely covered.
  • Roll cookie into a ball and place on an un-greased cookie sheet.
  • Bake cookies at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
  • Remove warm cookies from cookie sheet and place on parchment paper.
  • To decorate: melt candy melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between.
  • Dip 1/2 of each cookie into the white chocolate and set on a fresh piece of parchment paper.
  • Drizzle dark chocolate over the top of each cookie and allow toppings to harden (you can refrigerate to speed this process along!)

My thoughts:  This is another recipe submission for Real Women of Philadelphia- this community brings out my very best creativity- love it!  I think you will love these cookies- they are fun to make and SO fun to eat!!! YUM!!

 

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Coconut Lemon Bars with Mimi!!!

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Ruthanne

Baking is so much more fun with a friend!  Mimi came with the idea and the lemon juice- the rest is history!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

  • 1/2 c. butter
  • 1c. flour
  • 1/4 c. powdered sugar
  • 1/8t. lemon extract
  • 1c. shredded coconut

Lemon topping:

  • 2 eggs
  • 1c. sugar
  • 4 T. lemon juice
  • 1/4 t. lemon extract
  • 3T. flour
  • pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees
  • Using a fork, cut butter into flour and powdered sugar.
  • Add extract and blend well.
  • Press into a 9×9 pan.
  • Bake 10 minutes, add coconut over top, bake 10 more minutes.
  • Combine all of the topping ingredients.
  • When crust is done and still hot, pour topping over it and bake an additional 20 minutes.
  • Allow to cool to room temperature, cut and serve!

My thoughts:  I’d never made lemon bars before tonight, so experimenting with these was a little challenging 🙂  They turned out wonderfully, but if you really like the creamy lemony part of bars you might want to double the topping.  Had a fun night with Mimi though- even Casper enjoyed our cooking experiments!

Mimi with our coconut lemon bars!

Casper begging for lemon bars...


Lemon kisses!!!!!

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Fruit Loop Pie!!!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Ruthanne

Don’t wrinkle your nose at the name- this tart cream filling is perfectly balanced by a sweet fruity crust. Let your inner child rejoice– its FRUIT LOOPS in a PIE!!!!

INGREDIENTS:

Crust:

  • 3c. of crushed Fruit Loops (crush before you measure)
  • 1/2c. butter (melted)
  • 1/2c. sugar

Pie:

  • 8oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 1 (0.22 oz.) packet Kool Aid- Ice Blue Raspberry Lemonade flavor
  • 2c. marshmallow fluff
  • 8 oz. Cool Whip (refrigerator temp).

DIRECTIONS:

  • Mix together Fruit Loops, butter and sugar.
  • Press mixture into an ungreased 9 inch pie plate.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
  • Cool completely.
  • Cream together Kool Aid and Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • Add Marshmallow fluff and blend well.
  • Fold in 1c. of Cool Whip.
  • Spoon into cooled crust
  • Top with remaining Cool Whip
  • Sprinkle Fruit Loops over the top
  • Freeze for at least 2 hours.
  • Serve chilled.

My thoughts:  This recipe has been simmering in the back of my mind ever since I made my raspberry lemonade truffles for RWOP a few weeks ago.  Adding Kool Aid to Cream Cheese…using fun cereal as a crust…finally I just did it.  It won’t qualify for the contest as it really needs some time in the freezer to set properly– NOT within the one hour time limit!  What a fun and refreshing dessert this turned out to be– I hope you try it and love it!!  -r

This recipe was shared on these wonderful blogs:


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Turtle Upside-down Cake

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Ruthanne

Layers of chocolate cake, caramel, pecans and chocolate chips make this cake unique and DELICIOUS!!!

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 box of german chocolate cake mix
  • eggs, oil and water needed to make mix according to box
  • 30 Kraft caramels (unwrapped)
  • 8 oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
  • 1c. chopped pecans
  • 1c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Coat sides and bottom of 9-Inch Springform Pan
    with cooking spray and place a circle of parchment paper in the bottom.
  • Make cake mix as directed.
  • Scoop 1/2 of cake mix into bottom of pan and bake for 2o min.
  • While cake is baking, heat cream cheese in a saucepan over medium heat until smooth.
  • Add caramels and stir constantly until completely melted and smooth.
  • After 20 minutes, remove cake from oven.  Pour nuts and chocolate chips over partially baked cake layer.  Pour caramel over (this may sink slightly in the middle.)
  • Carefully scoop remaining cake mixture over the top, covering all of the caramel and bake for an additional 25-30 minutes (until center is firm and a cake tester comes out clean).
  • Remove from oven and run a knife around edges of pan.  
  • Allow to set until cool.  
  • Remove edges of pan and then turn over by setting serving plate on top of cake and flipping.  Remove pan bottom and parchment paper.
  • Top with powdered sugar and caramel sauce if desired.
  • ENJOY!

My thoughts:  I created this cake recipe thinking I could enter it into the RWOP contest (dessert week is coming!)  It simply took too long to completely cook and set though (the contest has a one hour limit).  I had to post it here for you all though because it was SO tasty!   Enjoy!


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Rocky Road Fudge Bars

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Ruthanne
These bar cookies are full of all your favorite Rocky Road ingredients with a twist– rice crispies and a thick Cream Cheese fudge. Easy and quick to make, this is sure to be one of your new go-to recipes!
INGREDIENTS:
  • 8 oz. Philadelphia Cream Cheese
  • 12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 2c. mini marshmallows
  • 2c. rice krispies
  • 1c. dry roasted, salted peanuts
  • 1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 1/4c. powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS:
  • Melt chocolate chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring well in between, until smooth.
  • Soften cream cheese in microwave until creamy and smooth.
  • Combine chocolate and cream cheese until well blended.
  • Take one cup of chocolate/cream cheese mixture out and set aside in a separate bowl.
  • To original mixture, add marshmallows, peanuts and rice krispies- stirring well to completely coat.
  • Press this mixture into a 9×9 pan that has been lined with foil.
  • To remaining bowl of chocolate and cream cheese, add peanut butter, mixing until smooth.
  • Add powdered sugar to desired consistency (should be thick yet still spreadable)
  • Spread this fudge layer over the top of the bars and freeze for 30 minutes.
  • Remove bars from the pan using the foil to lift out.  Cut into squares and serve!
My thoughts:  This was another recipe created for the RWOP website competition….no winning for me yet, but I’m going to keep trying! 🙂
 It was inspired by bar cookies my grandmother used to make with me when I was little.  Hers were called O’Henry Krispies and they were delicious!  The addition of cream cheese gives these bars a rich and creamy feel.  This is an incredibly easy dessert- but oh soooo yummy!  Hope you enjoy them!  r-

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Mint Creme Brownies

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Ruthanne

If you like mint with your chocolate these brownies are the recipe for you!  Rich and chewy, these brownies are topped with a creamy mint layer and rich chocolate.

INGREDIENTS:

BROWNIE:

  • 1cup butter
  • 2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup cocoa
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

MINT FROSTING:

  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 8 tablespoons melted butter
  • 2 teaspoons peppermint extract
  • green food coloring (to desired shade of green)

CHOCOLATE GLAZE:

  • 12oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 12 tablespoons butter (do not substitute margarine here!)
DIRECTIONS:
BROWNIE:
  • Preheat oven to 350.
  • Cream butter and sugar together. 
  • Beat in eggs, cocoa, vanilla and salt.
  • Add flour and milk (alternating them and mixing well in between)
  • Spread evenly in greased jelly roll pan.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes or until done in center and just starting to pull away from sides.
  • Cool.  

MINT FROSTING:

  • Add melted butter to sugar and extract.
  • Mix well, using water to bring it to a thick but spreadable consistency.
  • Add food coloring to desired shade of green.
  • Spread over cooled brownies and chill for a few minutes to harden up.
CHOCOLATE GLAZE:
  • Melt butter and chocolate together in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until completely melted and smooth.
  • Pour over cooled mint frosting and spread evenly over top
  • Chill until top layer is hard and cut into bars.


Optional decorating:
  • Using  green chocolate melts that are melted and placed in a ziplock with a corner clipped, drizzle over the top of the warm glaze.  
  • Draw a tooth pick , knife or skewer through the chocolate- 1st one direction and then back the other to make a fun design on the top of these bars.

My thoughts:  These brownies are 100% mom 🙂  I grew up enjoying these yummy treats (she always put the nuts in though and I really prefer them without!)  My mom is an amazing cook and baker- these are just one of many of her recipes I love!  I’ve no idea where she got this recipe– I do know that its been modified throughout the years (more mint…more chocolate- YUM!)  One fun twist to this is that you can color the mint layer with any color.  I’ve matched shower colors with these– made orange halloween brownies….etc.  REALLY fun and yummy recipe– enjoy!  -r

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Here we are, six years later. We lost mom to cancer 2 years ago and we miss her SO much. When I asked dad what he wanted for his birthday this year he requested these yummy brownies. This picture was so fun, I thought I’d add it here! So thankful for the recipes that remind me of mom! ~r

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Raspberry Lemonade Truffles

Posted on April 30, 2011 by Ruthanne

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These soft and creamy lemonade truffles are accented with a sweet raspberry white chocolate.  Truly a unique dessert that will have you thinking summer as soon as you taste one!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 30 truffles)

  • 1 (8 oz.) bar of Philadelphia Cream Cheese (softened to room temp)
  • 1 packet (0.23 oz.) of Kool-Aid Lemonade mix (unsweetened)
  • 5 cups powdered sugar (plus a little extra to coat your hands as you work with dough)
  • 1 bag (12oz) Wilton White Candy Melts
  • 1/4 teaspoon imitation raspberry flavoring
  • Red and yellow food coloring (enough to get the color you desire)

DIRECTIONS:

  • Cream together Philadelphia cream cheese and packet of lemonade.
  • Add yellow food coloring to desired shade of yellow.
  • Add powdered sugar one cup at a time, blending well between each one.  After 4th cup, coat your hands in powdered sugar and mix in 5th cup with your hands until well blended.
  • Using sugar-covered hands, roll dough into 1 inch truffle balls and set on parchment paper.
  • Melt candy coating chips in microwave in 30 second increments, stirring between until smooth.
  • Add raspberry flavoring and red food coloring (to desired color) and mix well.
  • Spoon about 1/2 – 1 tsp. of chocolate onto parchment paper and then press a truffle on the top of it until the chocolate is visible around the edges.  Finish the rest of the truffles this way.
  • Spoon remaining chocolate into a ziplock bag and clip the corner.  Drizzle the chocolate over the truffles.
  • Allow topping to harden (about 5 minutes)
  • Peel off parchment paper and serve at room temperature or chilled.

Makes about 30 truffles.

My thoughts:  Wow!  These have been a huge hit with everyone in my life that’s tried them!  They are an original creation for Real Women of Philadelphia.  For all of you who love to cook and bake, you really should check this contest out– its a lot of fun and the sweetest people are a part of this community!  I was longing for something to remind me that summer is coming (in spite of all the yucky weather lately!)  Raspberry lemonade is such  treat- and these truffles capture the essence of it to me.  I hope you get a chance to try them– let me know what you think!  :o)r-

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