best pie crust: click here

Strawberry Milk

Strawberry Milk

Strawberry Syrup:
1.5 c strawberries
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c milk

mash strawberries w/ sugar and milk in saucepan over med-high heat until boiling, (mashing/stirring constantly). Reduce heat to med and keep stirring/mashing 10 more min. Remove from heat. pour mixture into vitamix blender. blend/pulse on high till smooth. shouldn't take very long (apx 20 sec.) pour mixture into strainer and strain over container. discard whats left in strainer and keep the stuff that landed in the container... this stuff is your strawberry syrup. cover and store syrup in refrigerator.

Strawberry Milk:
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup strawberry syrup

Mix/blend milk w/ syrup. add more syrup if milk is not sweet enough.

Chocolate Chip Bars

Chocolate Chip Bars
original recipe source: What Meredith Makes

1/2 cup butter flavored cricso
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup heath toffee bits

beat crisco w/ sugars till creamy. Beat in baking soda, salt, and vanilla. Beat in Eggs till thouroughly combined. Gradualy beat in flour. Mix in chocolate chips and heath bits. Spread dough into 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350 for 18-22 min. "I like mine slightly undercooked. That way, they stay doughy when they’re cold!" (Meredith, whatmerrymakes.com)

1 XXL Death by Chocolate Cookie

Makes 1 Giant Cookie

2 T butter

2 T sugar

2 T brown sugar

2 T beaten egg

1/2 t vanilla

3/8 C flour

2 T cocoa

1/4 t baking soda

1/8 t salt

1/4 C + 1 T mini chocolate chips (divided)

Beat butter and sugars till creamy. Add egg, vanilla, soda, and salt. Beat till well mixed. Slowly beat in flour, cocoa, and then 1/4 C mini chips. Drop/spread/form dough in 1 mound on center of greased cookie sheet. sprinkle top of dough with remaining mini chips. Bake at 350 for 11 min.

The original recipe for this comes from Sally's Baking Addiction, however, i had to make a few minor modifications in order for my cookie to turn out right. Modifications such as more flour, less baking soda, and less salt. Nothing is worse to me than a flat cookie so I had to do more flour other wise the cookie definitely would have turned out flat. (might have to do w/ living in a high altitude location.) And then I chose to use less baking soda and salt because 1/2 t baking soda for just 1 cookie seems like way too much and then less salt because Im not a fan of salty cookies so it was my way of playing it safe. This cookie tastes like a molten lava cake, but in a cookie form. The inside is so moist and fudge-like. Its incredible. You just have to try it. I love the fact that this recipe make just 1 giant cookie (giant as in size of my face,) especially since my mom freaks out when I make a large batch. She hates when there are too many sweets sitting around, however she definitely wasn't mad about this one considering she pinned the recipe and ate half my cookie ): Its OK, i'll for sure be making this again 

Ashleys banana bread

Ashleys banana bread

1/3 cup butter softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup mashed overripe banana (apx 2.5 bananas)
1/4 cup beaten egg (apx. 1 XL egg)
1 1/4 cup flour

Beat butter and sugar till creamy. Beat in soda, salt, vanilla, and egg. Gradually mix in flour and banana. Pour batter into buttered glass loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 45 min.

This recipe was developed through my years of making banana bread and trying and modifying many different recipes. Its absolutely perfect. It has a lot more banana content compared to most other banana bread recipes.

peanut butter mini cup cookies

Bought a box of krusteaz peanut butter cookie mix and used it as i followed the krusteaz recipe for "peanut butter mini cup cookies." My mom made cookies like these for us when we were kids. only difference is hers were 100% scratch (because they didn't have krusteaz mixes 20 yrs ago.) these turned out truly amazing! Click HERE for recipe. 

Martha Stewart No.2 Sugar Cookies

Martha Stewart essential recipe no.2 sugar cookies holds its shape far better than any other sugar cookie recipe. roll dough thick and bake only 8 min and they will be soft and perfect.

Give each kid their own cookie and a cup of frosting w/ a plastic knife for safe decorating. They love this. Gives them a sense of autonomy.

Click HERE for the recipe

Rice Pudding

Best Rice Pudding Ive EVER made or tasted. It Has a Custard-like Flavor. I followed the recipe to the letter. Only change I made was I added 2t cornstarch to the simmering milk & rice (just to enhance thickening) also I recommend using whole milk (makes for a creamier texture and richer taste) Click link for Recipe: Creamy Rice Pudding