Some great songs.

I am starting to realize that I need to add more variation to my blog if its going to be an "everything art" blog, and so far I've done mostly recipes! So here's a thought. Look up these songs. They're great.

"I Won't Give Up" By Jason Maraz.
"Lovely" by Sara Haze.

Recipe Number 4: SUPER EASY PB cookie cupcakes for V-day

So basically this is a little sum'n sum'n I made up that is SO EASY and SO CUTE and tastes really great!! 


Ingredients:
- One peanut butter cookie mix and all the ingredients it calls for (Betty Crocker is my personal fave, and it's usually a good price)
-One small bowl of sugar to roll dough in
-Unwrapped Hershey's kisses, Valentine's M&M's, or medium sized Reeses peanut butter cups, or a combination of all three!
-mini cupcake liners and pan or heart-shaped silicone baking cups (easily found at Michaels, cute and much easier to clean than cupcake pans!) 


Directions:
1) Mix peanut butter cookie dough as directed on package.
2) Roll dough into balls, then roll in sugar so a light coat of sugar covers the whole ball.
3) Put dough balls in mini cupcake holders or silicone baking cups and press down slightly with thumb to flatten top. 
4) Bake in oven at time indicated on package or when cracks begin to form on the cookies.
5)Immediately after taking cookies out of the oven, press unwrapped candy into cookie and allow for chocolate to melt and cookies to set before transferring to a cooling rack(If using silicone baking cups, wait until cookies are completely set and chocolate isn't too melty before popping them out of their conatiners).

 Silicone cups are THE BEST.

 The minis are great with Hershey's, a few M&M's, and Reeses :)

THIS A PERFECT WAY TO SAY "I LOVE YOU" TO ALL OF THE VALENTINES IN YOUR LIFE. Enjoy!

#3: Banana Pecan Cupcakes with Sour Cream Chocolate Frosting.

I have it on good authority that on scale from 1 to 10 these cupcakes are a TEN. And, my mom said it was THE BEST frosting she's EVER HAD. EVER. That means it's a keeper folks.

Ingredients

• 3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 ounces (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups packed light-brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 4 very ripe large bananas, mashed (about 2 cups), plus sliced bananas for garnish
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans, toasted in the oven for eight minutes at 350

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line standard muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk dry ingredients in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating after each addition.
2. Reduce speed to low. Mix in any remaining wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 3 additions, alternating with wet ingredients and ending with dry. Scrape sides of bowl. Stir in toasted pecans. Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full.
3. Bake cupcakes until testers inserted into centers come out clean, about 20 minutes. Let cool in tins on wire racks. Cupcakes will keep, covered, for up to 3 days, unless otherwise noted.

Frosting:

Ingredients

• 1 pound (4 cups) confectioners' sugar, sifted
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 18 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled*
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream

Directions

1. Sift together confectioners' sugar, cocoa, and salt. With an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream cheese and butter until pale and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Gradually add sugar mixture; mix until combined. Mix in melted and cooled chocolate and then sour cream; scrape down sides of bowl and continue beating until smooth. Use immediately, or frosting can be stored in the refrigerator up to 5 days, or frozen up to 1 month, in an airtight container. Before using, bring to room temperature and beat on low speed until smooth.

*I put in about half the amount of semisweet chocolate it called for and it still tasted delicious*

22 to go!