sugar rush...

been baking all weekend! the house has such a yummy taste in the air! chloe & i started yesterday w/ all the goodies for friends & teachers...





and this yummy recipe is for Rocky Ledge Bars...buck is totally scarfing them down! i'm resisting because i just went down in a pant size!



Rocky Ledge Bars
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened, plus more for pan
2 1/4 c. flour
2 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. course salt
1 1/2 c. packed dark- brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. mini marshmallows
1 c. semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 c. white chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 c. butterscotch chips
18 soft caramel-candy pieces, coarsely chopped

-preheat oven to 350. lightly butter a 9x13" baking pan. line with parchment paper. brush parchment with butter. set aside.
-whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
-using a wooden spoon, mix butter & sugar in a bowl until fluffy, about 2 minutes. add eggs & vanilla; mix until well combined. mix in flour mixture until combined. fold in half of each of the marshmallows, chocolates, butterscotch chips & caramels.
-spread batter in prepared pan. scatter remaining marshmallows, chocolates, butterscotch chips & caramels on top. bake until top in golden brown and a cake tester inserted in center comes out clean...about 35 minutes. let cool on wire rack. lift out of pan, and transfer to a baking sheet. refrigerate until set, at least 30 minutes.
-remove parchment, and cut into triangles.
_____________________________________________________________________________________

we also made this...and the batter is scrumptious too!

double apple-walnut bread

1 c. smooth unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c. sugar, plus 1 tbsp for sprinkling
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. canola or vegetable oil
1/4 c. plain yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. peeled, cored, and finely diced apple
1/2 c. chopped walnuts

-line a 9x5" loaf pan w/ waxed or parchment paper (or grease or flour it), then set it aside. heat oven to 350
-combine applesauce, sugar, brown sugar, eggs, oil, yogurt and vanilla in a large bowl. whisk well to blend.
-in another large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon & nutmeg. make a well in the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon & pour in the applesauce mixture. stir just enough to combine; do not overmix. fold in the apples & walnuts.
-scrap the batter into the prepared pan & smooth w/ a spoon. evenly sprinkle one tbsp of sugar on the top. bake on the center rack of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 50-55 mintutes
-remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling.

*if you want to do mini loaves...then it will make 5 of them & cook for 45 minutes
_____________________________________________________________________________________

it was finally above zero so the girls went & enjoyed some of the snow we've been getting!

_____________________________________________________________________________________

today we've been decorating the sugar cookies...this is my mom's recipe...hope she doesn't mind me sharing. i've made that mistake ONCE w/ sharing the family SECRET recipe for fudge (which by the way i'm not making this year & jordan is so upset...she ate the entire batch last year minus a few pieces)...enjoy!

sugar cookies
batter:
2 1/2 c. flour
1 c. butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar

- put in fridge for 1 hour in wax paper, cook @ 350 for 14 min or so

frosting:
2 lbs. powdered sugar
1/4 c. butter
1/8 tsp. vanilla
add milk gradually to desired consistancy


and then a friend came over to help...


we also decorated the "gingers" as chloe calls them..

_____________________________________________________________________________________
and i appropriately changed my banner...it was so far from halloween, i thought it was a necessary change!