Last week I was craving a bit of chocolate, and since I’m really trying to cut down on my sweets intake, plus lose a bit of weight/get healthier, I didn’t want to just pig out altogether. So, I made these Choco-Peanut Butter Cups, from the Pillsbury website, and then shared with our small group at church.:) I figure when I want to bake something really rich and fattening, I’ll just find others to share it with….and then we don’t just pig out on it all. It’s a no-brainer, win-win situation, right?:)Check out the recipe for Choco-Peanut Butter Cups on Pillsbury.

(Disclosure: I was NOT compensated in any way for this post by Pillsbury; I simply wanted to share a yummy nummy recipe involving chocolate.)

The last week I was so sick, not feeling like doing much of anything besides what I absolutely HAD to do to get through the week, both mom/school wise and work wise. By the end of the week, I was starting to get a bit restless, wanting to craft or bake or just do something to break back into action. The kids started coming down with what I’d had, so I decided to make them a Valentine’s treat, just to cheer them up a bit….I had these cupcakes pictured in my head, and I mainly wanted to make them, just so I could decorate them.:) I used this recipe from Martha Stewart for the actual cake part, Strawberry Cupcakes, and then I used this Cream Cheese Frosting recipe from Taste of Home. Talk about the perfect combination….I ’bout fell over when Dan said these were the best cupcakes he’s ever had; it warmed my heart!:) After they’d cooled, I piped on the frosting, added a few heart sprinkles, and then added the Sweet Heart candy. It was so much fun and a yummy treat….though not good for my weight loss plan.:) Oh well….we all need occasional treats, right?

Happy baking for this Valentine’s Day!

My mom and dad gave us a huge box of pears a couple of weeks ago, and since, I’ve been trying to find ways to use them, so they don’t go to waste.  They’re so sweet to the taste, and they make great snacks for the boys.  We’ve also made pear butter, but this weekend, I tried something that just popped into my head.  It’s probably not a new recipe, but it was new to me, and I kinda made it up in my head.:)  I used parts of the Apple Crumb Pie topping from my Taste of Home Cookbook, but I made it my own….so here it is.  This is a delicious dessert, without all the work of making a whole pie.:)  Enjoy!

Pear Crumbles

Wash about 6 pears thoroughly, and then halve.  Be sure to leave the skin on, so the juices will stay within the pear.  Scoop out the seeds and core with a melon ball scooper.  Set pears on cookie sheet.

Topping

1 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. Apple Pie Spice (you an add more to taste)

Mix above ingredients well. The butter needs to be cold, so a pastry blender works the best. Mix until you have a crumbly mixture. Then take the topping and crumble over your pears. Be generous. Fill the pears up with topping, as this will make them much more decadent.

Bake in oven at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Then enjoy with your family!:)

Nothing fills the house with a warm, cozy scent for fall like fresh cinnamon rolls, right out of the oven. These cinnamon rolls use my grandmother’s yeast rolls recipe that I’d shared before, with just a few adjustments.

Cinnamon Rolls

You use the yeast rolls recipe, as linked above; however, after letting the dough rise for the first time, you roll it out into a wide oval shape, until it’s about 1/2 an inch thick.  Brush melted butter over the surface; then add a cinnamon/sugar mixture on top of that.  I usually use about 1 1/2 cups sugar and 2-3 tbsp of cinnamon; you be the judge.  Then, if desired, sprinkle raisins on top.  Roll the dough, starting at one edge, rolling over and over, until it is in a long, cylinder type shape; it will be a long doughy roll.  Cut into 1 to 1-1/2 inch thick segments with a knife, and place on greased cookie sheet or baking pan.  Let rolls rise to desired height; I usually let mine rise for an hour or two, depending on how quick they are to rise.  Bake at 425 degrees for 15-20 minutes; you might have to cover with foil, as the top will get done first and may get quite brown.  Finally, brush with simple powdered sugar icing (using butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, & milk) upon removal from oven, and enjoy!