Happy Thanksgiving Y’all.

Yeah, I said Y’all. Sometimes I do that, break into a southern accent I mean. And I’m not even from the south. Whatever.

Sometimes I make something so delicious it HAS to be shared with you.

Like this Peanut Butter Cup Fudge. Wholly Crow it’s good! And so easy to make. You’re Welcome.

Peanut Butter Cup Fudge

Ingredients:

This box:

contains 1 pound of these:

Our rich and buttery, perfectly balanced, ridiculously delicious, Salted Caramels.

And because I am thankful for you, my blog readers and Firefly Confections fans, I am giving them away (that’s a $25 value).

All you have to do is tell me what you are thankful for this year.

One winner will be drawn at Random (by Random.org) on Thanksgiving Day – Thursday the 24th of November. I will post the winner’s name here, on Facebook and on Twitter.

The winner will contact me via the “Contact Us” form (duh) and I will ship the Caramels on Friday, giving you one more reason to be thankful!

Open to us residents only, 18yrs of age or older.

Don’t forget to like us on Facebook @Firefly Confections and follow us on Twitter @sandysbaking

Happy Thanksgiving and Good Luck!!

~ Sandy

 

Tonight at Midnight marks the release of the long anticipated release of the Twilight Saga’s Breaking Dawn.

And while I resisted the the original thought of a teenage Vampire Love story, I eventually gave in, jumped on the “band wagon” and read 4 books in 3 weeks. I am hooked! The first Twilight book is by far my favorite and I have since re-read it before every movie release and probably a time or two more just…because. I love the classic love stories like that of Romeo and Juliet and Pride and Prejudice. I am a sucker for romance and Twilight does not disappoint.  And now it’s finale (albeit 2 part finale) has me literally breathless at every movie trailer. Yes I am that excited!

I am so excited I made cupcakes!

Red Velvet Cupcakes. I was going for Blood Red but they didn’t come out that dark. Oh well. They are delicious and will help me to celebrate the Cullen Wedding.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

(I use the recipe in the Confetti Cakes cook book)

3 1/2 cups Cake Flour

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (use the good stuff like ghiradelli)

1 1/2 tsp salt

2 cups canola oil

2 1/4 cups plus 1 tbsp Sugar

3 large eggs

1/3 cup red food coloring (or if you are using the gel paste food color use about a tsp)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1 1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp baking soda

2 1/2 tsp white vinegar

* Pre heat oven to 350 and line muffin tins with papers. (the ones I used were foil lined)

* In a large bowl sift together, flour, cocoa powder and salt. Set aside.

* In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, combine oil and sugar until incorporated.

* Set mixer to low speed and add the eggs one at a time scraping down the side between each addition.

* Add the red food color and vanilla, beat until incorporated.

* Alternately add the flour mixture and buttermilk in two batches, starting with the flour. Beat until thoroughly combined.

* In a small bowl mix the baking soda and vinegar together and immediately add to the cake batter, beat for 10 seconds.

* Divide the batter evenly among muffin tins (I use an ice cream scoop for this). Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.

*Allow to cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8oz pkg of cream cheese at room temperature

1 stick of butter at room temperature

6 oz of white chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

1 tsp vanilla

4 (or more) cups of powdered sugar

* Beat butter and cream cheese together until smooth.

* Add vanilla and white chocolate, beat until smooth

* Gradually add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.

Enjoy!

And stay tuned because tomorrow will have photos from the Breaking Dawn inspired wedding photo session that my sweet friend Melissa from Truly Chic Inspirations and I put together. And when I say I helped it was really Melissa’s vision, the amazing Janelle’s Photography eye for capturing that vision, and some input and supplies from me. Wait until you see it – it’s stunning!

Okay, Here’s a sneak peak:

** And the Winner is…..#2, Meryl (Thank you Random.org). Please fill out the Contact us Form and I will mail your cookies in the morning! Congratulations! **

Leave some Happy thoughts in the comments section & be entered for a chance to win 1 dozen Signature Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Yes. It’s that easy.

It’s Monday, and I don’t know about you but, I can’t handle anything more complicated than that.

Winner will be drawn at random (by Random.org) at 5pm CST and posted here on the Blog and on Facebook

Must be a US resident 18yrs of age or older.

Good Luck & Happy Monday

If there were an award given for random acts of deliciousness, I would win it for this Apple Bread Pudding recipe.

This is what my acceptance speech would sound like -

“Thank you so much for this award, it’s so unexpected! *insert crying* I would like to thank the R.A.D. (Random Acts of Deliciousness) Academy for acknowledging this recipe as delicious! I would also like to Thank my family and friends and loyal blog readers for supporting me and trying all my recipes, and lastly I would like to thank Kenmore for graciously donating a double oven to my kitchen so that I may continue my research and experimentation in Random Acts of Deliciousness.”  (What? It could happen)

Okay, so there is no award for random acts of deliciousness, but it doesn’t matter. Eating this apple bread pudding is all the award I need. But seriously, if anyone reading this is from Kenmore and wants to donate a double oven to my kitchen – I would gladly accept!

Apple Bread Pudding

1/2 cup chopped, dried apples

1/2 cup good quality apple cider

8 slices of apple fritter breakfast bread, found at Target (I suppose cinnamon raisin bread would also work), cut into 1 inch pieces

3 tblsp butter, melted

2 cups milk

3 large eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

pinch of salt

Fresh cream and caramel for topping

*Pre-heat oven to 350.  Spray a 2 or 2.5 quart casserole dish with cooking spray.

*Place bread cubes in a large bolw and add melted butter. Toss to coat. spread on an ungreesed cookie sheet and bake until golden brown. Allow to cool.

*Pour cooled bread cubes in casserole dish. Top bread cubes with soaked apples and cider. Gently toss or stir to evenly distribute.

*In a medium bowl whisk milk, eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla, stirring until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth.

*Pour mixture over bread cubes and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

*Remove from refrigerator and bake for 45 minutes or until center is set.

*Cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

*Top with fresh whipped cream and warm caramel sauce.

Enjoy!

~ Sandy

 

Today’s guest post is from my friend Jennifer at Home Sweets Home.

Jennifer and I met via Facebook and life has not been the same since. She and I are practically the same person – right down to the warped sense of humor and borderline unhealthy obsession with Castle/Nathan Fillion.  In fact I am sure that the universe separated us by continent so as not to cause mass destruction by having our kitchens too close together.

Today Jennifer is making Crownies. A.K.A Cookie Dough Brownies.

What the What?!?!

I think I may have drooled on myself.

Jennifer’s Post:

~When I first “met” Sandy, I knew we were meant to be friends.  I mean, she makes salted caramels, I LOVE caramels.  She makes a GORGEOUS cookie, I stick to cupcakes.  We both have gorgeous kids who are clearly destined to meet one day and then the world will implode from cuteness and giant eyes with long eyelashes.

Point is, she’s great, so when she needed help, I wanted to jump on it.  I know she’d do the same for me.

Especially since she doesn’t let me forget what a horrible blogger I am.  (Time wise, not content wise, I think…)

 

Love you Sandy, xoxo

Cookie Dough Brownies…(Crownies)

You can seriously add cookie dough to anything to make it better.

Kids don’t like spinach?  Add cookie dough.

Having a rough day?  Have some cookie dough.

Cut your arm?  Put some cookie dough on it.

Car won’t start?  Yep, cookie dough.

Because cookie dough makes everyone feel better, enjoy these.

Brownies are good, but add cookie dough?  Better.

 

Crownies

(Cookie Dough)
Recipe from Hershey

1 C Shortening or Butter (I rarely use shortening, but in this cookie, it keep them moist and from burning)
1 C Packed Brown Sugar
1 C Granulated Sugar
2 Eggs
1 & 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
2 C AP Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
2 C Chocolate Chips (I used Hershey’s Chipits.)

Cream together shortening and sugars.  Beat in both eggs and vanilla.

Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt and add it gradually to the creamed mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Set aside.

Brownies

I cheated this time and used a Duncan Hines Decadent Milk Chocolate Chunk Brownie Mix.

~Follow directions on box, spreading blended brownie mixture into a greased 9 x 13 pan and top with spoonfuls of cookie dough.  Bake at 350 for approximately 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean.

I’m not gonna lie, I let these rest for 4 minutes and cut into them.  I brought a few over to my neighbours, but mostly risked burning off the tip of my tongue for a taste.

Once they were mostly cooled, though, we turned them into brownie sundaes.  Gross.

Don’t do it.

You won’t like these topped with ice cream.

AT ALL.

Seriously.

Do it.

Crownies topped with ice cream. Wholly Deliciousness!

Yep, definitely dangerous if Jennifer and I lived closer.

Enjoy!

BTW – Love you too Jennifer.