Erin's Baking Corner

After making 6 batches of cookies for our families for Thanksgiving, I think it will be best to just post the recipes on here for your reference. First of all whenever a recipe says to use canola/vegetable oil I've been substituting yogurt (non fat, greek, whole fat, doesn't seem to matter!). As I did this, it was just easier to keep adding my favorite recipes - please don't miss my #1 fav the Fatty Creme Brulee at the bottom.

Famous Cranberries - family recipe
A favorite everywhere they go. I'm so sad I couldn't eat my weight in them this year. I made my own version with organic OJ and tarte cherry juice - pretty good, but not the same.
Lay 1 lb Fresh cranberries out on baking sheet (best with sides/edges on it)
Evenly pour 1 1/2 - 2 C sugar on top of berries
Oven at 300 degrees for approximately 1 hr. - berries will "pop" open
Stir in 2 T Grand Marnier or brandy.
Stir, taste, if too sour add sugar.
Pour in jar - liquid should go almost to the top with the berries.
If looks dry add orange juice.
IMO: These are best after 2-3 weeks or even a year later. Wonderful on ice cream.

Tomato Pudding - Family Recipe - TBA

Chewy Gingersnaps - RealSimple.com
I'm liberal with the ginger and used organic black strap molasses - the taste becomes stronger after 3-4 days. These are everyone's favorite!

Sour Cream Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting and Chocolate Peanut Butter Glaze - from SmittenKitchen.com
I love rich foods - this cake is beyond "RICH". If you just need a chocolate cake recipe - this is amazing - moist; great flavor. Substitute yogurt for vegetable oil.

Banana Bread - Simply Recipes
I make it with Whole Wheat Flour and a little extra salt. You can easily cut this back to 1/2 C sugar; or even less and add another banana  I've changed everything about this recipe (2 banana's work...) and it still comes out great. For an added touch sprinkle decorating/large granular sugar liberally over the top before you bake it.

First Place Coconut Macaroons - Taste of Home
I like chewy coconut macaroons - go with sweetened coconut. If you prefer a little dryer macaroon use unsweetened coconut. I made 1 batch each way and both were wonderful and very easy.

Toffee Pretzel Peanut Butter Cookies - RealSimple.com
You can leave out the toffee and pretzels for flourless PB Cookies.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies - FoodNetwork.com
I made them Chewy PB chip cookies. Another batch I added Toffee and Pretzels. I recommend 1 1/2 C Pretzels 1 bag of toffee pieces (1 1/3 C).

Paradise Pumpkin Pie - from Midwest Living Magazine
I made a whole wheat crust recipe instead.

Low Fat Creme Brulee - Food.com - Super quick and easy healthier option.

Cinnamon-Honey Creme Brulee - MarthaStewart.com
This is the BEST Creme Brulee I've ever had. It is one of my favorite deserts ever. I made this for the first time while Amy and Tavin visited this spring and OMG it was wonderful! It is worth the trouble and hunting down the dishes and torch if you don't have one already. Yum Yum Yum

It's a Boy! Ultrasound Week 20

Happy Birthday To ME!

Dean's 2nd Birthday

Andrew and I went simple for Dean's birthday - Classic Mr. Potato Head, Buddy and a T-Rex from "Dinosaur Train" show, 2 DVD's, Thomas the Train Shirt and a UK Shirt. Then we threw him a party and he had such a wonderful time. It was so great to have such wonderful loving friends and family all together!

Maybe I should have gone with a Mad Hatter theme - this cake was not one of my typical masterpieces! Look at it LEAN! I think it tasted great - Lemon cake with Lemon Frosting and Cream Cheese frosting. Kroger just moved into a huge Marketplace Kroger and the "old" Kroger was out of everything - so I had to buy 2 different kinds of frostings. Then 2 of the 3 layers got stuck in the cake pans and came out in 2 halves! He was thrilled and nobody but me knew the whole story...until now...Next time I'm putting lemon pudding between the layers like mom used to do for me! Yum!