Galletes de Lacasitos

We could talk about Spain. How enthusiastic the streets are or how it´s totally frowned upon if you eat dinner before 10:00- worse if you are in bed before 1:30. But talking about Spain will only make me wonder why I don´t have all my possesions shipped over for a permenant residence.
So let´s talk Cookies. Well, being in Spain, I was getting all pumped up to make an exotic spanish dessert, or even a fancy, beautiful cake. Of course my Spanish family wanted something ¨authentically American¨. Bore. Of course Teresa skipped at the idea of chocolate chip cookies. Snooze. Unfortunately... I went down without a fight. Because, as quoted from Madagascar, ¨Don´t fight the hand that feeds you¨. If it was American Cookies my family wanted, that´s what they´d get. I was able to make them a little more exciting by adding Lacasitos (Spanish M&Ms.) to satisfy my Spanish baking craving. And I also made them in bar form becuase that creates a gooey, chewy inside and a slighty crisp outside, the best of both worlds!
So, I now present: Galletes de Lacasitos! Which are really just really delicious M&M Bar Cookies.



M&M Bar Cookies
Adapted from: Lizzy goes Dutch
Ingredients:
2 Cups All purpose Flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
14 Tbs Butter (melted and cooled to room temperature)
1 Cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 heaping cup of Lacasitos (Okay, fine, M&Ms will probably work just fine)

Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
1. melt the butter and let it cool to room temp.
2. Combine the sugars in the bowl and whisk together. Pour the butter in the bowl and mix until combined. Next crack in the egg and egg5 yolk. whisk it goood.
3. In a seperate bowl add Flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined.
4. Stir flour mixture into sugar mixture until thoroughly combined. Add the M&Ms! Take a taste, it´s a sin that´s so good.
5. Butter a 9 X 13 inch pan and press the dough evenly into the pan. Place in preheated oven for around 20 minutes, until the dough is golden brown and the outsides start to pull away from the pan. center will be soft.
6. Let cool for 10 minutes then cut into bars. Transfer to mouth.

Section Three Chem-Phys Peanut Butter Fudge Rice Krispy Treats!

Okay, so, i kinda technically already posted these. Except there's a difference. These are heaven. Like real, Jesus-can-walk-on-water delicious.
My Chem-phys class was having one last physics party together, and these were the first to go. DId i mention how much i love my chem-phys class? Section three might have the lowest test grades, and we might not get one question right on our review jeopardy, but we are the class with the coolest t-shirts.
All I can say is I'm glad I had somewhere to take these treats, otherwise they would have all ended up in my mouth within seconds. Although finals week combined with packing for Europe stress has caused me to whip out the marshmallows and peanut butter and stand by the kitchen counter with a whisk in hand and a gleaming look in my eyes. Then I quickly remember in less than a week I'll be in an actual bathing suit and unfortunately peanut butter fudge doesn't seem to get along with my hips. Maybe you'll have better luck with yours.
On a completely different note, I've been recruited for my high school swim team. Okay, that was a lie. The coaches simply asked me to consider joining. And the weird thing is.. it kind of seems fun. There's something about getting up at 5:30 in the morning to exercise (no matter what kind) that's appealing. It makes the rest of the day seem a lot less long. Can't you picture diving in a pool and being crowned gold medalist for the 200 IM? Maybe I'll try it. Maybe it's just a wistful fantasy.


Peanut Butter fudge mixed with chocolate fudge and rice krispy treats. Mmm. The second best thing.



Peanut Butter Fudge Rice-Krispies!

Ingredients:

For the RIce Krispy Treats:
4 Table Spoons Butter
1 Package Regular Marshmallows
6 Cups of Rice Krispy Cereal

For the Peanut Butter Fudge:
1 cup butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pound powdered sugar

For the Chocolate Fudge:
2 Tbsp butter
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:
Prepare pan:
Line a 9 X 12 inch pan with wax parchment paper. grease parchment paper lightly. This ensure the treats will have easy removal.

Make the Rice Krispies!:
1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and allow to melt completely, stirring occasionally so they don't brown.
2. When marshmallows are liquidy and completely melted, add the 6 cups of Rice Krispies and Stir until mixed evenly throughout.
3. Spread evenly in prepared pan

Make the peanut butter fudge:
1. Microwave butter and peanut butter in the same bowl for 2 minutes, so they both melt. Stir and microwave for another minute, to really liquify.
2.add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar to the mixture and stir until fully combined. Spread this evenly over the rice krispies in the pan. :)

Make the chocolate fudge:
1. Put the butter, sugar, milk and salt in a saucepan over medium/ high heat. Bring this to a boil and continue to cook for 4 minutes. Very important, or fudge will remain soft and melty.
2. Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate chips and vanilla.
3. Beat in marshmallows with an electric mixer on medium speed until all melted and beat into the mixture.
4. Pour over peanut butter fudge and place in the refridgerator to set, or leave out on counter (this will take slightly longer however)
5. Cut into one-inch-squares and enjoy!

Super Yummy Banana Bread!

If I asked you to describe your daily routine right now, most of you would have no trouble reciting your tasks from the start of a day to the finish. In fact, a lot of you probably also know precisely what time you go about doing these tasks. It's too easy to slip into a dull routine of doing the same thing day after day. That's why this week i decided to mix things up. I took the old material I had to work with and primped it up until an unrecognizable, beautiful treat stood before me. Banana Bread. Banana Bread is really like renewing and refreshing a dull life. Right before it goes bad, you swoop in and save it by adding some buttery excitement, sugary sweetness and a hint of almond adventure
Of course, this is all slightly a metaphor. I'm not really this passionate about banana bread, although I'd definitely be cool with anyone who is. That's cool.
However I am passionate about changing it up once in a while. Little mix-ups in your daily routine can turn life upside down. Instead of doing homework one night, why not have a picnic in the back seat of a car with Reece's Puffs and Frosted Animal Crackers. Why not buy your boyfriend an extremely fast new car? Okay, so it was a toy car, I still get props for trying. Why not get a new pair of super trendy heels for Spain? And why not go a little crazy shopping with your best friend and buy a dress that barely reaches your mid-thigh? After all, summer's on it's way, and it's practically begging you to ignore all routines and just GO CRAZY!
Now, back to the banana bread. See here's the thing. Banana Bread usually isn't my thing. But wow, this stuff is good. I'll take that as a sign.

Um... it was gone before I could take a picture. There's your sign. Go make it.
But I will show you my latest exciting purchases for summer.

Yes this dress is as fabulously scandalous as it looks


And these shoes are perfect for late night clubs- comfortable but crazy hot

Banana Bread

Ingredients:
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Stick Butter (softened)
2 Eggs
3 Over ripe bananas
2 Tablespoons Milk
1/4 Cup greek honey yogurt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 Cups Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1 Teaspoon Salt
1 Teaspoon Vanilla extrace
1/2 Teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon lemon extract or 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Directions:
1. grease a 9 X 5 X 3 inch baking pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees F
2. Cream Butter and Sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, aking sure each is fully beat into the mixture.
3. In a small Mixing bowl, mash the bananas with banana masher (or fork, not as fun but it gets the job done). Mix in the Milk, cinnamon and yogurt.
4. In another small mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder
5. Add the banana mixture to the butter mixture and beat on medium-low speed until combined. Next, add the flour mixture on low speed until just combined, or flour disappears.
6. Mix in the extracts with a fork or spatula. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout batter.
7. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for about an hour to an hour and ten minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean. Do not over bake. It will result in gross, dry banana bread unsuitable for renewing anyone's life let alone mixing up a routine. Cool completely before taking out of pan or slicing.
8. There's a lot of bowls to clean up, but it's well worth it. Enjoy!!! :)

Fudge Rice Krispy Heaven

What's easier than raising money for the American Cancer Society when you have fudgy treats to pass out? Absolutely nothing. I just discovered I must raise $100 to participate in the Relay For Life walk against cancer, but at the end of today, my little can was rattling with almost $50! All thanks you these treats, which are even more magically delicious than lucky charms!
With only two weeks left until final exams, my life has been busier and more stressful than ever. Thank god for chocolate.
Yes, I will hit the gym... eventually ;)
Anyways, these are a bit of a mess, but a mess with LOT'S of opportunity to lick the spoon. When you're feeling a little stressed and life gets real crazy, just get some marshmallows and Rice Krispies, and indulge yourself in some well deserved chill time.



My friend Andrew even described them as "absolutely luscious". He's legit.

Rice Krispy Bars:
Line a 9 X 12 inch pan with wax parchment paper. grease parchment paper lightly. This ensure the treats will have easy removal.

Ingredients:
4 Table Spoons Butter
1 Package Regular Marshmallows
6 Cups of Rice Krispy Cereal

Make the Rice Krispies!
1. In a large saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the marshmallows and allow to melt completely, stirring occasionally so they don't brown.
2. When marshmallows are liquidy and completely melted, add the 6 cups of Rice Krispies and Stir until mixed evenly throughout.
3. Spread evenly in prepared pan

Fudge Topping:

Ingredients:
2 Table Spoons Butter
2/3 cups evaporated milk
1 2/3 cups Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Cups mini marshmallows
1 3/4 Cup Chocolate chips
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Make the Fudge!
1. Mix butter, sugar, evaporated milk and salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally. While boiling, cook 4 or 5 minutes, continuously stirring.
2. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in chocolate. WHen completely melted, stir in marshmallows.
3. With an electric beater, beat mixture until marshmallows are completely melted and incorporated throughout fudge. Add vanilla extract.
4. Pour over the Rice Krispy bars and spread evenly over them. Put the pan in the refrigerator for around 2 hours, until fudge is completely set. Cut into squares and eat!

Chocolate Cake with Swiss Meringue Butter Cream Frosting

What would we do without our mothers? There would be no encouraging advice, no one to remind you how important it is to breathe, and, most importantly, no one who unconditionally loves you no matter what terrible things you say or do (you know there have been several of those unbearably appalling and humiliating incidents you couldn't admit to anyone but your mother).
Well, after all these years of cleaning up messes, finding my missing Tetty Bear, and getting me out of sticky situations, my mom deserves some kind of badge of honor. Even better, she deserves a cake! Not a light, wimpy, desperate-housewives-style cake, but a real moist, dense chocolate cake. With her favorite vanilla butter cream frosting.
So, instead of delivering breakfast to my mother in bed, like most good daughters do, I decided to jump out of bed and whip up her favorite cake. Was it brought to her in bed? No. But, something tells me she can live with that.
This cake almost makes up for my painful attempt at a handmade vase in ceramics class. Another great thing about mothers: no matter how desperately awry your artwork has gone, they will treasure it more than a diamond ring.


So, it was also her 49th birthday. Who says you can't kill two birds with one stone? :)


Yes, it IS as delicious as it looks.



Ingredients:

Chocolate Cake:
Adapted from: Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate Chocolate Cake (aka, a taste of heaven)

2 Cups Sugar
1 3/4 Cups all purpose Flour
3/4 - 1 cup Dutch-processed Cocoa powder (depending on how sinfully chocolate you prefer your cakes)
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt
2 Eggs
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup vegetable oil
2 Teaspoons Vanilla extract
1 Teaspoon Chocolate extract
1 Cup boiling water

Swiss Meringue Butter Cream Frosting:
Original creation by: Alex Nierlich

1 Cup (2 sticks) Of butter, softened but still cold.
3 Egg Whites
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
1- 1/4 cups powdered Sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make The Cake!
Preheat oven to 350 F, butter two 9 inch round cake pans
1. Combine Sugar, Flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in medium mixing bowl
2. Add milk, eggs, oil and extracts. Beat on medium speed until evenly combined, around 2 minutes
3. stir in 1 cup of boiled water. Batter will be thin. The boiling water is to bring out the richness of the cocoa powder, and also moisten the cake.
4. Pour half the batter into each cake pan, and put them in the pre-heated oven for 27-31 minutes, or until toothpick inserted comes out dry, with a few crumbs clinging to it.
5. Completely cool cake before frosting

Make The Frosting!
1. Separate three eggs, and put the whites in a small saucepan. Add granulated sugar to the saucepan with the egg whites. Over low heat, stir the egg white and sugar mixture until the sugar has completely dissolved.
2. transfer egg whites into large mixing bowl, and beat on high speed until glossy and peaks form (do not over beat!. This takes time, around 8-10 minutes.
3. Beat in butter. The butter will curdle at first, just keep beating the frosting until completely smooth and creamy. This will also take around 6-8 minutes.
4. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until frosting is smooth and there are no lumps.
5. Frost the flat side of each layer, then place sliced strawberries on one layer. Flip the other layer on top, creating your double layer cake.
6. Frost a thin crumb layer over the entire cake, then, let it harden slightly and frost a thicker layer of frosting. Smooth with rubber spatula. Your cake is now ready for eating!

Ore-Ohhh cake!

So, Tomorrow is my mom's birthday and my best friend, Sonja's birthday. Next friday is my boyfriends birthday. Let's just say my wallet feels a little empty after it's super-trip to Target. But, giving presents is my favorite part of any special occasion, especially presents that take time to make (is it too obvious where I'm going with this?). So, I hopped in Blair's car after school, ditched lacrosse practice, and baked Sonja a super-deluxe double layer Oreo cake.
Oreos line the bottom of the cake pan, then, the remaining halves are broken up and mixed into the sweet, luscious vanilla cake batter. The two layers of cake are stuck together with a creamy, rich vanilla cream-cheese frosting, then the whole cake is coated in sweet chocolate cream-cheese frosting. I would call this cake a winner. It might even be considered the success of my week. Well, this and my chemistry test.
However, cakes aren't the only present consuming my thoughts. This weekend is going to be fun-filled with arts and crafts, scary movies, midnight bowling and birthday dinners! With summer just around the corner, who has time for trivial things such as homework?
Sara is the best person everrr!!!!!!! I LOVE HER SO MUCH!!


The perfect birthday cake with milk's favorite cookie!


Puppy love :)
There is now no doubt why I call him Cuddlecakes

Ingredients:

For cake:
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 Cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
1 package of Oreos

For Cream Cheese Frosting:
12oz Softened Cream Cheese
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
After frosting in between layers add:
1/4 cup cocoa powder
5 oz melted chocolate

Make the Cake:
Preheat Oven to 350
Butter two 8-9 inch diameter round cake pans

1. In a large mixing bowl Cream the butter and sugar together for approximately 3 minutes, or until nice and fluffy.
2. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then add vanilla.
3. In a smaller mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Measure a cup of milk in a liquid measurer-thing.
4. Beat the butter mixture on medium speed, while alternately adding the flour mixture and milk to the batter. Beat until fully incorporated.
5. Open the package of Oreos and screw the top off of enough to line the cake pans with. Put the oreo half, cream side up on the bottom of the cake pans. Crush up remaining oreos into quarters (leave about a row or so for decorating the outside) and mix them into the cake batter.
6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 23-28 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick stuck in the center comes out clean. Let cake cool 15- 20 minutes before taking it out of pans.
7. While taking the cakes out of the pans,cut around the edge of the pan with a sharp, hot knife. Next, make sure the bottom of the cake isn't stuck to the pan by gently loosening part of it from the sides.
8. Put the cake halves on big plates to cool completely before frosting.

Make the Frosting:

1. Cream the cream cheese and butter in a mixing bowl on medium speed. Add the butter and beat both until they are thoroughly combined.
2. Add powdered sugar slowly, mixing on low speed until it is fully mixed in.
3. Beat in vanilla

Frost Cake

1. lay one cake layer, flat side up on the serving plate. Cover the face of it with cream cheese frosting.
2. Add chocolate and cocoa powder to the cream cheese frosting. mix well.
3. Gently top frosted layer with the other layer of cake, flat side down. Frost entire cake with chocolate cream cheese frosting, smoothing around the edges and top with a rubber spatula.
4. Push oreos into the frosting all the way around the edge of the cake. Decorate the top as desired. I used strawberries. But that's just the kind of brilliant person I am.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies (they're healthy! -ish)

This weekend was the most confusing weekend ever. I also have never learned so much about myself in such a short period of time. I realized how much I've grown up since last summer, and I handle every situation differently now than I would have a couple months ago. For example, in the summer, if I started to fall in love I would have closed my eyes and ran the other way. Now however, I'm forcing myself to sprint forward into the blinding light without thinking about the next move. Because that's really the only way to address something so extraordinary and damn frustrating.
Well, obviously, this new approach on life caused me to want to bake something sweet with a new approach: It's healthy! Well... it's made of whole wheat flower (that's healthy right? it's healthy in my boat.)
Okay, to be fair, they're whole wheat because I ran out of white flour.
Now, get ready for healthy chocolate chunk cookies that will knock your socks off!

Chocolate Chunk Cookies
Adapted from: Hershey's

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup All purpose flour
1 1/2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup of butter, softened (i use salted, it's way yummier)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (the reason i went so crazy on this is because it's from mexico. So that obviously makes it magical and there can never be too much)
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (because everything is better with nuts)
12 ounces of chopped dark chocolate (make sure you love eating it out of your hand, that can make or break a chocolate chip cookie. I used dark chocolate Hershey's bars because that was all my ghetto corner store had)

MAKE THE COOKIES!
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
Makes around 28 cookies.
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together the flours, baking soda, baking powder and salt
2. In a separate large mixing bowl, cream the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, around three minutes.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is fully beat in before proceeding. Add the vanilla and almond extracts into the butter mixture.
4. Gradually and slowly beat in the flour mixture until just incorporated into the butter mixture. There's your dough!
5. Now, the best part. Take a taste. or two. or five.
6. Now, chop up your chocolate into rough, uneven pieces. Mix them into your cookie dough. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough! otherwise you will not have consistent yummy cookies!
7. Roll two-inch diameter balls from the dough and place them on a buttered cookie sheet, about two inches apart. Place the cookies in the oven for about 10 minutes give or take a few. The cookies are done when the dough is thoroughly cooked, but still gooey and soft.
8. Let hot cookies cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to completely cool. Enjoy!