Banana Bread

Many of my friends are fans of my banana bread. I include a lot of pecans and top it with a lot of pecans. I always use the Paula Deen recipe. Here it is!

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 4 very ripe bananas
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Mix dry ingredients
• Mix butter, bananas & eggs.
• Mix dry ingredients into banana mix and stir in nuts.
• Bake 40-45 minutes.

Purple Bridal Shower Cupcakes

Pampered Chef Floral Cupcake Pan

I recently got this silicone floral cupcake pan from Pampered Chef. I like it, but I have only used it once. I think it would be really cool to make flower-shaped butter with it, or Tartufo ice cream. I will definitely be playing with it more soon.

I made cupcakes with it for my sister-in-law's bridal shower. I tinted the homemade batter purple with food coloring, and the inside was a light lavender color.

I used the homemade purple frosting and added some water to drizzle on top for more color and flavor. Then I added some sprinkles.

Easter Basket Cupcakes

I made these Easter basket cupcakes, well, for Easter of course! The basket handle is a Twizzler. I was going to use red, but then I found these multi-colored ones. I had to cut the bottom of the Peeps a little bit so they would fit underneath the Twizzler handle. I made the icing green with food coloring. I used a piping attachment to make the icing look like grass.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cupcakes

These are great Thanksgiving cupcakes!

I just baked regular cupcakes, and used store bought chocolate frosting. The head of the turkey is a mini-Reeses peanut butter cup covered with frosting. I used yellow icing to dot the eyes, and candy corn for the beak and tail feathers. So cute!

Thanksgiving Pilgrim Hat Cookies

I made this last Thanksgiving. They are very quick and easy to make. Everyone got a good laugh about them, and they were very tasty!

Ingredients:

	*24 chocolate-striped shortbread cookies ( I like the Keebler kind)
	*12-ounce package of chocolate chips
	*24 marshmallows
	*tube of yellow decorators' frosting

1. Set the chocolate-striped cookies stripes down on a wax-paper-covered tray, spacing them well apart.

2. Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler. Be careful not to burn it.

3. One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it on top of each cookie.

4. Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.

5. Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then frost a yellow decorators' frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

Porcupine Cookies- No Bake

My mom taught me how to make these no-bake cookies when I was a little kid, and I still LOVE them. I don't make them often enough. They are delicious and people will wonder what is in them! Here is the recipe that I use. I also listed substitutions. I have also heard these cookies called spider cookies, haystack cookies, and bird nest cookies. Whatever you call them, they are great and kids will love helping you make them.

• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.) (or can use butterscotch instead)
• 2 cups chow mein noodles
• 1/2 cup of peanuts (or can use walnuts, pecans, or any other nut)

Cover a baking sheet with waxed paper. In a small saucepan over very low heat, melt chocolate or butterscotch chips. Stir until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in the chow mein noodles and nuts until thoroughly coated. Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper. Chill for 15 minutes or until firm. Remove from refrigerator. Store loosely covered in a cool place.

Peanut Blossoms Christmas Cookies

I made these Peanut Blossoms cookies for Christmas. I just took this regular recipe and rolled them in colored sugar before I put them in the oven. They are very delicious!

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Granulated sugar

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.

2. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.

3. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.

Halloween Cake

One of my favorite days of the year is Halloween. Last year, I baked this cake. It was a big hit at a party I went to. I wish I had more time to write silly names on the headstones, but RIP went well. I used a lot of Peeps (black cats, ghosts, and pumpkins), Milano cookies, and store bought cake mix and store bought chocolate icing.