Cake Mix Cookies

These are some of our most favorite treats...

Super simple recipe where you can have 2 dozen cookies in less than 20 minutes, perfect for that last minute potluck! And the possibilities are ENDLESS... 

You Need:

1 cake mix (any flavor)

2 eggs

1/3 cup of oil

Mix together, add desired extras, place on un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes.

This particular batch was made with our favorite combinations:

Yellow cake mix with semi-sweet chocolate chips & butterscotch chips.

More Great Combos:

Chocolate with nuts and marshmallows, for Rocky Road Cookies

Strawberry with cream cheese frosting

Devil's Food with cream cheese frosting (homemade Oreos!)

Cinnamon, rolled in sugar for great snicker doodles

Plain yellow or white, served with strawberries and whipped cream

Classic Chocolate chip with a butter yellow or white mix

White with frosting for a sugar cookie

Chocolate Fudge with Mint Chips

See??

Endless possibilities! Play with it! Your family will thank you!

Variations of Buttercream

So besides tasty chocolate, this week I made a lemon cake for a funeral at church. I'm not sure why I made lemon, but it sounded springy and it felt like the right thing to do, maybe it would bring joy to someone at the funeral, I don't know. I couldn't decide what to put on the top of the cake. Should I make a 7-minute frosting, maybe some coconut. I called my mom for suggestions and she thought buttercream would be perfect, and of course it almost always is. So here is my variation of buttercream, I call it Lemonade buttercream, it would also be great with orange or lime. Mmmmmmm, yum.

Lemonade Buttercream
1lb powdered sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
pinch of salt
lemon zest from one lemon
juice from half a lemon
milk to the right consistency

Combine the powdered sugar, zest, salt and butter together, add juice and mix. Slowly add milk till it's thick, but not too thick. Spread on just about anything. Yum!

Buttercream Frosting

Oh, this stuff is yummy. It may result in you never, ever buying the stuff in the plastic container on the baking aisle. The nice thing is that it is easy. My Grandma Thiriot was the best cook ever. She even worked as a cook at the daycare I worked at as a teenager and the long-time teachers all remembered Miss Oma and her cooking. When I was little I would go and have impromptu lessons on cooking and making due with what you have. It is still one of my favorite memories of her. One time we were making frosting and I noticed the secret ingredient, salt. She told me it balanced out the sweetness and made it even better. And oh boy is she right. I guess we all need a little salt in our lives to make things sweeter. Try this on a cake, or ice cream cake, which is divine! This is a dump until just right recipe, make it how you like it by adding a little at a time and tasting.

Oma's Buttercream frosting (also good in chocolate)
1 lb powdered sugar
1/4 C butter, softened
pinch of salt
milk
cocoa powder if adding

Mix the powdered sugar, salt and butter together. Add milk in small increments till the consistancy is thick, but not too thick. Add food coloring if desired and slather on a cake, ice cream or graham crackers. Yum.

For chocolate, I alsways add the cocoa powder after I get everything mixed together. I usually add about a 1/4 C, but you can decide how chocolatey you want it and add more or less. Add more milk if it gets too thick.

Homemade Icecream Cake

It's so much prettier when it isn't melting! LOL

25 ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped

1 batch Amy's Butter Cream Frosting

On a serving platter, lay 5 ice cream sandwiches side by side to form a rectangle. Spread top with a layer of frosting. Top with another layer of ice cream sandwiches, followed by frosting, continuing 5 layers high. Cover entire "cake" with remaining frosting. Freeze until firm, about 2 hours. To serve, let soften for about 5-10 minutes. Slice down short side for a very pretty cake! :)

Be creative!

Use cookies and cream or Neapolitan flavored, or colored ice cream, chocolate frosting... sky's the limit with this super simple dessert!

Amy... your turn! (lol) We need a frosting lesson! ;)

Great Grandma's Spiced Peach Preserves

Ever wonder if there was a quick and easy recipe that will make your house smell divine at the same time to use up all those extra peaches? Well... here is a family favorite! :)

Great-Grandma's Spiced Peach Preserves
Heather Dorius

10 cups of peaches
7 1/2 cups of sugar
1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t. ground cloves

Blanche peaches, remove skins and pits and cut into quarters (I always blanche them a few minutes longer and then I can do all of the above almost in one quick movement! *grin*). In a large pot mash peaches with potato masher. (it's better chunky) Add sugar and spices. Cook on low heat until desired consistency (about 60-90 minutes). Fill into hot sterilized jars, wipe rim and place hot lid and secure with ring. Tip upside down on kitchen towel to cool and seal (I leave them overnight). According to extension guidelines it is good to process them in a water bath for 10 minutes - but that is to sterilize - so I just do it how Grandma said to and we have never had a problem! :)

Tastes great on sandwiches, sugar cookies and warmed up over vanilla icecream! YUM!

3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

1 Large Can of Pumpkin (not pie mix)
2 Boxes Spice Cake Mix
1 bag Semi Sweet Chocolate Chip Cookies

Mix and Bake on parchment covered cookie sheet for 9-12 minutes @ 350. Let cool on pan for 3-5 minutes, then cool completely on wire rack. YUM! Happy Fall!

Orange Yogurt Muffins

We had these at our family reunion and I just got the recipe, I don't want to forget it so I'm posting it here, this is from Austin's Aunt Gail Hamilton. YUMMY!


Orange Yogurt Muffins
1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons shredded orange peel
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 beaten egg
8 oz. carton orange yogurt
1/3 cup cooking oil
1 teaspoon vanilla [less if it is pure vanilla]
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 teaspoons orange juice

Directions:
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, make a well and then add egg mixture all at once. Stir just until moistened [will be lumpy]. Fill muffin tin cups 2/3 full

Bake in 400 degree oven for 18 - 20 minutes. Drizzle with powdered sugar/orange juice mixture while still warm.

Makes 12 muffins

Grilled Peaches

Here is a sweet treat that is healthy and yummy!

Grilled Peaches

5 peaches (not too soft, not too ripe works best)

2 Tbsp butter

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 hot grill

Make sure your grill is really clean, otherwise your peaches will taste like steak, or chicken or fish, you get my drift.

Melt the butter and add the brown sugar, stir till dissolved and drizzle over cut peaches.

Place the peaches cut side down on the grill and cook for about four minutes then turn and cook on the other side for four minutes. Enjoy! We had this with vanilla ice cream, it was almost like having cobbler, it was SO yummy

Zucchini Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Zucchini cake with cream cheese frosting
Heather Dorius

3 eggs
2 ½ C sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1 C oil
½ tsp salt
2 ½ C Flour
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 ½ C grated zucchini

Beat eggs, sugar vanilla and oil together. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Spread into 9x13 pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Frost with cream cheese frosting while cool
¼ C butter
2 ¼ C powdered sugar
8 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
Mix until smooth and spread over cooled cake

Grandma Stoddard's Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate Zucchini Cake from Heather’s Grandma Stoddard

2 C Sugar
1 C oil
3 eggs
2 ½ C Flour
¼ C Cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ C milk
2 C shredded zucchini
1 Tbsp vanilla

In large bowl mix sugar and oil; add eggs 1 at a time beating well after each. Combine dry ingredients and gradually alternate with milk. Stir in zucchini and vanilla. Pour into a greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or until done. While baking make frosting:

½ C butter
¼ powdered cocoa
6 T evaporated milk
4 C powdered sugar
1 Tbsp vanilla

Mix until creamy – frost HOT cake. Serve when cooled.

Yummy!!!!!