Guinness Cupcakes with Bailey's Frosting

At work we were having a goodie day for St. Patrick's Day and well, I figured I'd best bring some good dessert. And so I searched and found this. It really is quite tasty! The only downside I found is that it is darn hard to find little things of Guinness and Baileys!

Ingredients

Cupcake:
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup Guinness stout
2/3 cup cocoa powder
1 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream

Frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temp
4 cups confectioners sugar
1 pinch salt
3 tablespoons Bailey's Irish cream
1 tablespoon milk
green sprinkles

Pre heat oven to 350F and line cupcake pan with paper liners. This will make 24 cupcakes. In a sauce pan heat butter, Guinness, cocoa, and brown sugar, whisking often to get it smooth. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temp. Then in a large bowl sift together salt, flour, white sugar and baking soda. I just stir them all with a spoon. Using a mixer (hand or stand) beat Guinness mixture in with the flour mixture for 1 minute. Then add eggs and sour cream and mix until smooth. Bake for 20-22 minutes depending on your oven and make sure they are finished all the way thru. While it is baking, clean your bowl out and then start frosting. Cream the butter with your mixer until light and fluffy. Add salt and sugar slowly. Continue to add until all sugar is mixed with butter. Then add milk and Bailey's until it is a good spreadable consistency. Spread the frosting on cooled cupcakes, sprinkle with sprinkles, and Enjoy!

Lasagna Roll ups

Every so often I get the kick to do Once A Month Cooking (OAMC). And this was a recipe I stumbled across. It is sooooo good. It takes time to make but the best part is that you can get leftovers to freeze! I tend to get 3 batches for Andrew and I out of the noodle box. But if you have more in your family you can always see how many you need. Again, be warned it takes some prep time, but in the end you will be thankful you did it!

Ingredients

1 box Lasagna noodles (you want the kind you boil)
6 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
3 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
4 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Drain noodles and place on wax paper. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of mix onto the noodle and roll up. You want to make sure you have enough mix on there that it covers the noodle, but doesn't seep out when you roll it up. Then you can either freeze on a cookie sheet for an hour and then put in baggies for later use or you can put the fresh rolled up lasagna in a 9x9 and cover with spaghetti sauce. Bake at 375F for 40 minutes covered with foil. I tend to add more mozzarella cheese on top because we love cheese. If you freeze and then want to cook later, just be sure to defrost and thaw the roll ups and then repeat same cooking directions. Enjoy!

Chocolate Heath Bar Muffins

Don't be alarmed by the muffins part of it. They are actually completely and utterly horrible for you :) I made these for a goodie day at work because I felt like something new. And oh my goodness! Who would have guessed these were completely amazing!? They are pretty easy and really yummy.

Ingredients
1 1/4 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
6 Heath Bars, crushed (I tend to like this part)

Pre heat oven to 400F. Line 12 muffin tins (may need a few more if you have extra batter). In a large bowl beat milk, oil and eggs. Add in flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt until just combined. Fold in Heath bar bits. Fill muffin pan liners to the top. Bake for 18-20 minutes depending on how hot your oven gets. Enjoy!

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

This is one of my favorite things to bring to a party where I have to bring an appetizer. Only because it feels more like dessert! I usually make the cinnamon chips myself too and that is included in this recipe for you. Be warned, it will be gone by the end of the night!

Ingredients

2 kiwis, peeled and diced
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced
8 oz raspberries
1 pound strawberries diced
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
3 Tablespoons fruit preserves (any flavor, I like cherry or apricot)

Chips
10 Flour tortillas
spray butter
cinnamon/sugar mix

In a large bowl mix all the fruit, sugars and preserves. Cover and let chill for at least an hour. While it is doing that you can make the chips. Preheat oven to 350F. Cut tortillas into wedges. Place on a baking sheet. Spray with butter and sprinkle cinnamon/sugar mixture. Bake for 9 minutes and then allow to cool. Enjoy!

American Style Vanilla Biscotti (adapted my way)

I'm a sucker for easy and when I read that this only took 7 ingredients I figured it would be simple! But man, it took time! When I first made it I burned my forearms on the oven, the second time I burned my thumb, third time's a charm! No burns! :) But this is such an easy recipe. Just make sure you have at least an hour plus to make. I just took a picture of the recipe as is, but I have added many items to it as suggested in the end. Also I usually make 2 batches so that the oven can be used during the cooling stage.

Ingredients

6 Tablespoons butter, room temp
2/3 cup white sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-2 teaspoon vanilla extract (I usually do the 2)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour

Extras to add in: Dried fruit, raisins, chocolate chips or nuts of some kind.

Pre-heat the oven to 350F. Tear off a good size piece of parchment paper to line a 15 x 11 jelly roll pan. Then in a medium size bowl beat the butter, sugar, salt, vanilla and baking powder until smooth and creamy. This does take a few minutes, but it will come. Beat in eggs, it will look curdled and that is ok. Then add flour and mix until smooth. Dough is sticky. At this time if you want to add extras you can. Now plop the dough on your parchment paper and form a log. The log should be about an inch high and can be as long as need be. Place in oven and allow to cook for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes has passed, remove from oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes. After it has cooled cut into logs and then cut logs in half. Place back into the oven for another 15 minutes. When finished allow to cool and then enjoy with a nice hot cup of tea!

Fruit Pizza

This was a very simple delicious pretty dessert. It does take some time to make in the sense that takes a bit to cut the apples ;) You can use any type of fruit. This is what is from the book, but when some fruits aren't in season it makes for even more fun to try different ones.


Fruit Pizza

Ingredients
1 roll sugar cookie dough
1 cup sugar, divided
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon grated orange peel
2/3 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 cups halved fresh strawberries
1 medium peach, thinly sliced
1 small banana, sliced
1 small apple, thinly sliced
1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Let dough stand at room temperature for 5-10 minutes to soften. Press onto an un-greased 14-in. pizza pan. Bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes or until deep golden brown. Cool. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cornstarch and juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; set aside to cool. In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, milk, orange peel and remaining sugar until blended. In a small bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form; fold into cream cheese mixture. Spread over crust. Arrange fruit over filling; spread with reserved glaze. Refrigerate until chilled.

Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

This recipe was given to me by my mother. It was and still is my most favorite type of cookie. I love making them because they make my house smell wonderful!

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie

Ingredients
1 Cup Crisco (or shortening)
1 Cup brown sugar (I use light brown)
1 Cup white sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla (I use imitation)
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour (I use all-purpose)
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
2-3 cups Oatmeal (I use the quick instant ones)
1 bag chocolate chips (doesn't matter size)

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix Crisco, sugars, vanilla and eggs all together in a big bowl. In a separate smaller bowl mix flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Add dry mixture to wet mixture in small batches, stir together. Then fold in oats and chocolate chips. You will want to bake them for 11-13 minutes depending on your oven. Then allow to cool. Enjoy!

The New Beginning

Welcome to Sarah's Sweets!

I was inspired by a movie, Julie and Julia. Yes I'm a dork. But I have been baking/cooking for some time now and thought perhaps I can share with you my trials and see what you think. I've been posting photos on my Facebook, but now I'll share with the rest of the world now :) I won't always bake sweets, but I will have one every so often for you.

So to begin this sweet post, I give you...Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies!