The Adventures of Kitchen Girl

Red Velvet Santa Claus Cupcakes Ingredients: * 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour * 1 1/2 cups sugar * 1 teaspoon baking soda * 1 teaspoon salt * 1 teaspoon cocoa powder * 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil * 1 cup buttermilk * 2 large eggs  * 2 tablespoons red food coloring * 1 teaspoon white distilled vinegar * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract For the Cream Cheese Frosting: * 1 pound cream cheese, softened * 2 sticks butter, softened * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract * 4 cups sifted confectioners' sugar For the Santa Decorations: * Brown and red M&Ms * Mini marshmallows * Red colored sugar * Holiday themed cupcake liners Method: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line muffin pans with cupcake papers. In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder. In a large bowl gently beat together the oil, buttermilk, eggs, food coloring, vinegar, and vanilla with a handheld electric mixer. Add the sifted dry ingre...

The teenager was in the kitchen again this last week. This time with these sinfully delicious truffles. I'm not sure where he found the recipe for them, but when doing a little research of my own, I found variations on these all over the internet. They are so simple and tasty that I'm surprised I'd never heard of or tasted them before. He made up a test batch to see if we liked them enough to add them to holiday treat trays that we'll be making up in December to gift friends and loved ones with. Considering that entire batch was gone within a day between 6 people... I would say it was a resounding YES! Cookies and Cream Truffles Ingredients: 14.3 oz package chocolate sandwich cookies (Oreos work best) 8 oz package cream cheese, softened 24 oz package semi sweet chocolate chips Garnishes: Sprinkles, jimmies, colored sugar, crushed peppermints, cookie crumbs, nonpareils Method: 1: Crush sandwich cookies in a food processor until a fine crumble cons...

Very Vanilla Cookie Crumble Ice Cream Yield: Approximately 2 Quarts Ingredients: 1 1/2 Cups whole milk 3/4 Cup granulated sugar 3 Cups heavy cream 2 Tablespoons good quality pure vanilla extract 1 Cup Crushed chocolate (Oreo) sandwich cookies (approx. 10 whole cookies) Method: In a mixing bowl, combine the milk and granulated sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Stir in the heavy cream and vanilla extract. Pour this mixture into the ice cream machine and churn according to manufacturer's directions. Add the crushed cookies during the last 5 minutes of churning. Serve immediately or freeze.

Ingredients: 4 very ripe bananas, mashed 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter 3/4 cup sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon baking soda Pinch of salt 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour Method: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mash bananas in a large mixing bowl with a fork until fairly smooth. Add in the peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla and combine well. Add in the cinnamon, baking soda and salt and mix again. Lastly add the flour, mix well. Pour the mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for about 1 hour. When a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean, the bread is done. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and serve! Makes one loaf. Kitchen Notes: If you don't like peanut butter, you can make this into a more traditional banana bread by substituting 1/3 cup melted butter, margarine or applesauce (keeps the bread moist without the added fat) for the PB. Variations my family likes: 1/2 cup of shredded coconut. 3/...

Ingredients: 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 cup Natural Peanut Butter 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 1 egg 2 tablespoons milk 1 teaspoon vanilla 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon baking soda 1 bag chocolate "kisses" - unwrapped Method: In a large mixer bowl, beat margarine and peanut butter with electric mixer on medium speed about 30 seconds. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Beat well. In a mixing bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to peanut butter mixture, beating well. If necessary, cover and chill about one hour for easier handling. Preheat oven to 375° F. Shape dough into one-inch balls. Roll in additional granulated sugar. Place about two inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake about 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are firm. Immediately press a chocolate ...

LOADED BAKED POTATO SOUP Ingredients 5# Russet Potatoes 1# Bacon 1 Large Onion, chopped 2 cans Cream of Celery soup 1 Stick of butter or buttery spread 1 cup Sour Cream Heavy Cream (or milk, or condensed milk, depending on your preference) Fresh Chives, chopped Salt and Pepper Preparation Wash, peel and cube potatoes and boil in salted water until fork tender. Fry bacon, drain and crumble into very small pieces. Reserve some of the rendered fat to saute the onions. Saute onions until carmalized. Mash 2/3 of the potatoes with butter, add the cans of undiluted cream of celery soup while mashing. Add sour cream. Add the remaining 1/3 of cubed potatoes, bacon, onion and chives. Stir and if needed, add the heavy cream or milk to thin the soup to the desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. Reheat soup until hot. Serve. Makes 6 dinner main dish sized servings.