Happy World Nutella Day!

Not only is today Super Bowl Sunday, but its also World Nutella Day! Who knew?

My first introduction to Nutella, was back in Germany 2005. During breakfast they would serve us rolls of bread with little Nutella packets. I remember giving my little Nutella packets to my friend Wing, who was and still is crazy for this chocolately hazelnut spread. Over time nutella had warmed its way into my heart, because really, who can resist it?

First off, I wanted to combine World Nutella Day with Valentine's Day and give you some fabulous treats to feed your special Valentine this year. If you don't have someone special to share this day with, who cares? I say make treats for your friends, regardless!

Yesterday, I decided to make some peanut butter cookies, you know the one with the Hershey kiss in the middle? And make it holiday appropriate by adding some pink food coloring into the dough, also dipping them in pink granulated sugar to give it that extra sparkle. For a tutorial, please check out the link.

The recipe I used is great, quick, and super easy (especially if you don't have any butter on hand).

Hershey's Kiss Peanut Butter Cookies by AprilShowers @ Food.com 

Ingredients:


½ cup shortening

¾ cup peanut butter

¹⁄₃; cup sugar

¹⁄₃; cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 tablespoons milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 ½ cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

additional sugar

48 Hershey's chocolate kisses

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. In mixer, beat shortening and peanut butter until well blended; Blend in sugars and beat until light and fluffy.
3. Add egg, milk and vanilla; Beat well.
4. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually mix in peanut butter mixture.
5. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and rollin additional sugar.
6. Place on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Immediately place a Hershey's Kiss on each cookie and press down slightly.

For the cupcakes, I used a chocolate base and topped it with a powerful nutella buttercream! Yum.

Click here for the Chocolate Cupcake recipe I used, and the Nutella Buttercream frosting. Thank you Stephanie from 52 Kitchen Adventures for the recipe!

*Please note: The Chocolate Cupcake recipe will slightly sink in the middle, but do not worry it is flippin' delicious and super moist.

Have a great Super Bowl Sunday everyone! Go Giants! :)

There is nothing like Fall...

Fall is lingering in the air. With the nice warm sunny days and cold crisp nights. Which I absolutely love, love, love!

This past weekend I had a craving to make something that was absolute perfect fall deliciousness. Well nothing says it better than than a recipe from the Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten!

A recipe found on the link here.

The pumpkin cake itself smelled amazing coming out of the oven. It rises beautifully and makes about 10-11 small cupcakes. These would also be great mini-cupcakes for a great breakfast treat. What's interesting about this cupcake is that it doesn't involve the creaming of the sugar and butter (a typical cupcake base for most recipes). For the Maple Frosting, I just used some maple extract (the generic, cheaper kind of course) but I'm betting that you can use a teaspoon of maple syrup and it'll taste just as delicious! I also increased the cream cheese dose to the typical 8oz package, and the butter to 4 tablespoons which was just as creamy. As for the c.sugar its all up to your taste buds! Cheers.

I also made some chocolate chip cookies with reeses pieces! Now all you need is a glass of milk right? :)

.....

Weeks ago, I saw a really cute mickey mouse cupcake picture on pinterest.com and decided to replicate it (without actually having to create the mouse entirely made of fondant/gum paste). Great idea for a gift don't you think? So the perfect shape for the ears is a giant pastry tip-- not the plastic kind since it makes it harder to cut out perfect circles. I also decided to use red paper liners, but ended up making my own using red construction paper from a template I found online (click here for template)  Thanks to, lovelypapershop.blogspot.com!

Have a great last week of October everyone! Halloween is next week! Get excited :)