Adult Play-doh

Have you ever played with fondant icing? I finally have, with some inspiration from Cake or Death. Kristen makes the most amazing cakes.

I've been wanting to try this for years but never knew where to even start. Thanks to Kristen, she set me up with some basics and I gave it a try. My daughter just loves the Backyardigans so I made her a Uniqua cake.

If you've never tried and you're feeling adverturous, I definately recommend it.

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Baked Cheese Cappelletti

I've spent hours upon hours of watching the cooking channel. This one was so simple and easy but tasted so amazing. It's a bit of a spin of something I saw Giada De Laurentiis make. She's one of my favorite cooking show hosts. You just have to try this at least once. I guarentee you won't be disappointed!


1 pkg Ravioli, cheese (or other preferred type)
1 pkg Cream cheese, softened
1 jar Marinara sauce (or spegetti sauce)
Parsley, fresh
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
Other types of cheeses


Cook the ravioli on the stove as per directions. In a casserole dish, heat the marinara sauce in the microwave slightly. Stir in a handful of freshly chopped parsley. When the ravioli is cooked, add cream cheese to the warm marinara sauce and add the hot ravioli (drained) to the casserole dish. The hot pasta will help melt the cream cheese to incorporate with sauce.

When sauce, cream cheese and pasta is well mixed, layer the cheeses on top. Put as many types of cheeses as you like.

Put in oven at 350 F for approximately 30 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Note: Ravioli can be substituted for any type of stuffed pasta.

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We're still in the construction stages, but we've already posted some of my all-time favorites.

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Happy Baking!

Slow Cooker - Sweet and Sour Meat Balls

This is another HUGE family favorite. This tasty meal comes with me to almost every pot luck I attend. I’ve used this recipe for meatballs, chicken, and ribs. Most people have had this sauce with my meatballs. I get asked for this recipe every time I make it. I usually double or triple this recipe and cook in the slow cooker.


Sweet and Sour Sauce (Meatballs)


6 tbsp Brown sugar
1 cup Water
¼ cup Vinegar
6 tbsp Ketchup
2 tbsp Soya sauce
¼ tsp Ginger spice
½ tsp Garlic salt
¼ tsp Dry mustard
½ tsp Salt
½ tsp Onion powder
2 tbsp Corn starch

Mix all the ingredients together.

Suggestion: Mix the corn starch with ½ cup of the liquid mixture, and then pour the corn starch liquid mixture into the rest of the liquid mixture. This will prevent lumps in the sauce.

Place your choice meat in a roast pan (for the oven), or in the slow cooker. Pour the sauce over the meat until just covered. Cook in the oven until meat cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent meat from sticking to the pan. Meal can also be cooked in the slow cooker on high for 6 hours or on low for 8 - 10 hours.

Great meal for those busy weeknights. Prepare the meal the night before, and stick in the fridge. In the morning, plug the slow cooker in before you leave for work. When you get home, cook up some rice and you have a delicious meal! Leftovers are just as tasty.

Like this recipe? Make sure you check out the other recipes at our site.
We're still in the construction stages, but we've already posted some of my all-time favorites.

Have a recipe you would like to share? Would love to try it out! Email it to love2bake@live.ca

Happy Baking!

Quick, Easy & Affordable - Slow Cooker Meals

I've always used my slow cooker to make my life easier. Now with the economy the way it is, I find myself using it even more.

Unstead of having to have a serving size portion of meat for each person in my family, I make a stew, or soup with a fraction of the amount of meat I would normally. I get more veggies into my family and I save myself a fortune.

As an example. I like to buy my ground beef in large value packages. It helps me save money. I then take some time and divide up the beef into smaller packages, and make tons of meat balls and freeze them all on a parchement paper lined baking sheet. Once they are frozen, I drop them into large freezer bags to be used as needed.

On the days I know I'm going to be rushed to put supper on the table, I take out my slow cooker, drop in some meat balls, open up a can of spegetti sauce and cover the meat balls with it. I put my slow cooker on low, or 8 - 10 hours and when I come home I have the makings for the best meat balls subs.

My family thinks of this supper as a special treat. Guess the secret is out on just out easy it is to make.

I do have a special recipe I make my meat balls out of however. Keep reading.

Like this recipe? Make sure you check out the other recipes at our site.
We're still in the construction stages, but we've already posted some of my all-time favorites.

Have a recipe you would like to share? Would love to try it out! Email it to love2bake@live.ca

Happy Baking!

Best Ever Hamburgers
**I use this to make my meat balls as well. They have so much flavour.

The measurements are not exact as you can customize to your taste preference.

Ground beef
1 egg
Italian bread crumbs – enough so the egg is absorbed
Onion soup mix – to taste
Salt
Pepper
Worcestershire sauce



Other ideas to include in the mix:

Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh chopped parsley
Garlic powder


**If you’re making a large batch of hamburgers, I use 2 eggs. (Costco size package)

***If you do not have Italian bread crumbs, use the plain variety but toss in some Italian seasoning or other dried herb spices.

**** Start with less and add more if you like.

Cinnamon Buns

I know I'm heading out later to see some relatives and I've decided to make one of my families' new favorite treats, ur, breakfasts. Cinnamon buns! YUM! Or some may call them Sticky Buns, or Cinnabons. What ever you call them, I call them delicious! Make sure you give these a try! They are super easy.

Like this recipe? Make sure you check out the other recipes at our site.
We're still in the construction stages, but we've already posted some of my all-time favorites.

Have a recipe you would like to share? Would love to try it out! Email it to love2bake@live.ca

Happy Baking!

Cinnamon Buns

Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 15 Minutes
Ready In: 3 Hours
Yields: 12 servings

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup warm milk (110 degrees
F/45 degrees C)
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons bread machine yeast

1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup + 2 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Place ingredients in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer (or in the order they appear above) Select the dough cycle and press Start.

When the dough cycle is complete, dough should be double in size. Place dough on a lightly floured surface, cover and let rest for 10 minutes. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon and 1/3 cup of butter. This will make a paste

Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle. Spread dough with the remaining butter. Spread the sugar and cinnamon paste evenly over the dough but not too close to the outside edge. Roll up dough into a long log. I like to use a bit of water along the edge to help seal it up. Cut into 12 rolls. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan – I like to use a cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).

Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 – 20 minutes. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, 1/4 cup butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

**I’ve also seen these with chopped walnuts, or other nuts, sprinkled over the top. Even some nuts sprinkled with the inside filling I’m sure would be delicious.

The Most Amazing Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe somewhere on the Internet, many, many years ago. I can't remember where, but wow!! no other recipe even comes close. They are so moist and stay fresh for a long time. My son always makes these for his cookie stands he has in the summer, they are his best seller.
Do you like this recipe? Make sure you check out the other recipes on our site!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 12 Minutes
Ready in: 22 Minutes
Yields: 36 servings

INGREDIENTS:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix powder into butter mixture until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and/or nuts.

Scoop out the mixture with a small ice cream scoop and roll them into balls and flatten. These cookies do spread so make sure they are not too close together.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.
Once cooled completely, store them in an air tight container.

Happy Baking!