Mint Cheesecake Bars

I have really been on a baking kick lately. I blame the cold and rainy weather. It just makes you want to warm up the kitchen with some baking with the kids! Plus you get to cozy up next to the fire with some tea and dessert after dinner!

My favorite kisses are out now: the candy cane kisses. I love the white chocolate with the peppermint!

I decided to incorporate them in a cheese cake bar recipe. 

Ingredients:

30 finely crushed oreo cookies (easiest to do in a food processor)

1/2 cup of butter melted

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese (softened)

1 (14 oz) can of sweetened condensed milk

2 eggs

1 tsp peppermint extract

15 chopped Candy Cane Kisses

Instructions:

Heat oven to 325

Combine the finely crushed Oreo cookie crumbs with the melted butter in a med bowl, mix well. 

Press into a un-greased 9 inch baking pan.

Bake 6 minutes. 

Beat the cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually add the condensed milk, eggs and peppermint extract until smooth. 

Pour over the cookie base. 

Bake 25-30 minutes. 

Once you remove the bars from the oven, sprinkle the chopped kisses chocolates and let cool. 

Cut into squares once bars are completely cool. 

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Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies

Our favorite little noodle place opened near us, and they have the best soft and chewy snicker doodle cookies there. The kids and I have been obsessed with them. 

So the last time we were there, my daughter asked if we can make these cookies, I figured why not!

Now the kids prefer these to sugar cookies! 

These are super easy and oh so yummy! 

The recipe is from here. 

Ingredients:

1 cup butter (softened) 

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

2 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons cream of tartar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons sugar

3 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix butter, 1 1/2 cups sugar and eggs thoroughly in a large bowl.

3. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.

4. Blend dry ingredients into butter mixture.

5. Mix 3 tablespoons sugar, and 3 teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl.

6. Scoop 1 inch globs of dough into the sugar/ cinnamon mixture.

7. Coat by gently rolling balls of dough in the sugar mixture.

Place on  ungreased cookie sheet, and bake 10 minutes.

Remove from pan and transfer to a cooling rack.

CLICK HERE TO PRINT

Enjoy!

Sunday Linky #35

I hope you all are having a wonderful weekend! 

There were so many projects and posts I loved, Here are some of my favorites:

Rachel, from Joyfully Weary shared her awesome Homeschool classroom

Aimee, from Twigg Studios shared this amazing cake.

Breakfast Cranberry Orange Bread

Ok, this breakfast bread is amazing! I tried a similar bread from a local bakery and loved it, so I decided to try and make some myself.  I found the recipe here. I did change out a few things. 

            Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 large eggs
• zest of one orange 
• juice of an orange
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup veg oil
• 1 cup fresh cranberries and 1/4 for the top
• 
  
• For the Icing:
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2- 3 tbsp cream

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325, grease the bottom of 8 inch loaf pan and add a piece of parchment, enough so that it sticks out over the sides of the pan.
2. Combine yogurt, eggs, sugar, orange zest, orange juice and vanilla, oil in a medium bowl. Mix well, add the flour, baking powered and salt and mix.
3. Add in the 1 cup of cranberries (I chopped mine in half).
4.  Pour batter into the pan. Add the extra cranberries on top of loaf.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan, that is where the parchment comes handy. 
6. Make the glaze by mixing the powdered sugar with cream. 
7. Spread glaze over the cake, enjoy!

CLICK HERE TO PRINT

I made mine the night before, and just popped the whole loaf in the microwave for about 30 seconds the next morning. It was amazing!

Thanks for visiting

Birchbox November 2013

I am always eagerly awaiting my monthly birchbox. It's like a little present for me every month.

Let me tell you what birch box is, just in case you are not familiar with it.

It's a monthly subscription service which is $10.00 a month where you get sent 4-5 high-end samples each month. First you take a little survey so they can find out more about your skin, make up likes and dislikes so they know what to send you.

You know how I love trying out new products? Well, with the birch box, I can try high end products without having to buy full size products. If I love the product, then I can go buy it :)

If you are interested in checking it out, go to Birch Box

29 Weeks Pregnancy Update

How far along:

29 weeks and 4 days 

Hello 3rd trimester!