New Year Lemon Spritz

HAPPY NEW YEAR! I'm so excited for lots of new fun adventures and food in 2014. This was once a dream and I'm so happy that baking, crafting, and blogging are now my real life and full-time job that I do every single day. Thanks for being a part of my little world because I couldn't do it and wouldn't make it without an audience and cheerleaders.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Cookies cookies cookies! This recipe combines two of my favorite things: Cherry Cordial Hershey Kisses and Oatmeal Cookies.

Little Turkey Pot Pies

I made an impromptu trip to World Market with a friend yesterday. They had a coupon too good to go unused. I've wanted a second cake dish (and non-white this time) for awhile and I brought this cutie home without thinking twice. Cake stands (or cake pedestals) just make me a very, very happy girl. It used to be shoes-- now it's colanders and kitchen schtuff.

Banana Raspberry Holiday Cornbread

I made this the other day as an experiment and it turned out so, so yummy. You don't have to tell anyone how easy this is to make or that it isn't made from scratch-- unless you want to of course :P

Apple Latkes

Finally! Here's my last Chanukkah recipe. We enjoyed these so much and I finally got around to blogging it up. I'm a sucker for green apples all year round (especially in salads) and this recipe is one of my favorite ways to work with them. I used to hate the taste and texture of cooked or baked apples when I was younger but then I guess I grew up? Who knows. Considering I'm a recent sweet potato convert, I guess anything is possible as time goes on.

Homemade Sufganiyah (Jelly Donut) Holes

I've been feeling under the weather :( I think I just overdid it during the Thanksgiving and Chanukkah holidays. I hope everyone had a lovely Chanukkah. I made these sufganiyot the other day and finally FINALLY got around to blogging. They were easy and I even made my own fresh fruit filling. Click here for the full recipe and instructions. Even though Chanukkah is over, I do have one more recipe in store which can be eaten any time of year-- so stay tuned. Then I'll be transitioning into some Christmas food and craft blogs. Our tree and lights have been up for a few days now but the ornaments have been a slow process with my husband's work schedule and my all around "meh"-laise. What are you doing this weekend to prepare for winter and/or the holidays?

Chanukkah Challah

Hello December! Today was an exciting day around our home! We have officially been in this house for one year now. I spent the day packing away Thanksgiving and unpacking Christmas. Most exciting of all, I made homemade challah for the first time ever. I've never even made bread before-- besides like banana breads etc but I mean real bread with yeast and everything.

Stuffing and Applesauce Latkes

I've got some awesome Chanukkah cupcakes, sufganiyot (jelly donuts), and challah in the works but first things first. I did some super yummy stuffing and applesauce latkes as part of tonight's Chanukkah dinner. I'm not even a huge fan of cranberry sauce but absolutely loved it on this latke. It was a perfect blend of sweet, savory and tang when you get a bite of each component. It reminds me of those yummy turkey sandwiches that have stuffing and cranberry sauce on them-- but better! The cranberry sauce garnish (seen cooking below) is leftover from Thanksgiving (obviously) and made with real cranberries, granny smith apples, and one of my most favorite things ever, cherry craisins.

Sweet and Savory Latkes

Thanksgiving was sooooo good. Perfect, actually. I was cooking and baking for days and it felt great to wake up this afternoon with almost nothing to do.

Easy Applesauce Muffins for Thanksgiving

Applesauce Muffins, a photo by Digital Heather on Flickr.

I made some of these babies yesterday in between crafts and the batch is just about gone. I dare you to try and eat just one. The indulging starts when you're measuring out the delicious cinnamon applesauce. You have to eat at least a few spoonfuls just because. Then when they're baking, your kitchen and entire house smell out of this world. Then you have to eat a warm one as soon as it comes out of the oven. Then you need to eat one with yummy real butter. THEN you've had a taste for blood and you simply can't stop yourself. I'm probably going to end up making these two more times before Thanksgiving and then a double batch for Thanksgiving guests. Have you ever baked with applesauce? Click here for my full recipe and instructions.

Sweet Potato Soup with Colby Jack Cheese Crisp

It's no secret that I'm not a fan of sweet potatoes. With a name so cutesy, believe me, I want to love them. In the past ten years I've gone from hating them to "I can eat a mouthful if I have to and not make a dumb face like a teenager." These progressive strides are thanks to my husband, who adores sweet potatoes. Since I adore him, I lovingly make sweet potato casserole every holiday as well as other sweet potato side dishes in between the holidays. Having said all of that, I have found a sweet potato recipe that I don't hate and actually enjoy. Yes. I made this, swallowed a spoonful after the necessary food-photo-sesh, and actually smiled. Then I finished my entire bowl of soup. If you know me in real life, you probably think that Heather has been replaced with a podpeople Heather, and that just isn't true. But if it were, that's exactly what Pod Heather would say so... who knows, right? I made this soup the other day and my husband and I both loved it. I had cracked a molar that day, so soup was right up my alley. It was easy to make and ready in no time. What do I mean by easy? Well this recipe is from scratch but you don't have to peel, cut, or boil the potatoes. I'm so in love and just had to share it with you. Click here for my full recipe and instructions.

Monster Mash French Toast

Making French toast with cereal might sound totally unfamiliar and maybe even teeters on "gross." I get it. I had my reservations at first but I'm glad they went away.

I know Halloween is over but my husband and I are still finishing up the last of the General Mills Halloween Monster cereals. We recently made Frute Brute French Toast and it came out so awesome. We loved it so much that we made it again with Boo Berry and again with Count Chocula. Click here for my full recipe and instructions.

The coloring is absolutely lovely. I love the contrast of color when cutting into the toast. I also love how well the leftovers kept in the frig. Since it's just the two of us, a batch (12 slices) may last for one or two meals. Just depends how hungry we are and how much time we have to sit and enjoy breakfast together. I reheated summore the following day and it was just as good (it was probably even better but I don't know if it truly was or it was just my love for leftovers). Seriously. Leftovers always taste awesome. There is a marriage of flavor that always happens in the frig overnight. This is probably the number one argument I always have with people. Oh well.

If you missed out on the seasonal Halloween cereals, try this recipe with your favorite year-round cereal instead. What cereal is your favorite? Which would you use?

Easy Chip Dip Recipe

Yummy Chip Dip, a photo by Digital Heather on Flickr.

I've had a hankering for tortilla chips lately. Tostito's Multigrain scoops are a favorite in our house. They taste super yummy and are perfect for scooping up dip! I also found some Halloween-themed chips for 99 cents. They were too cute to pass up. I love that the rounds are orange (like pumpkins) and the black chips are triangles (like witch's hats). Accident or on purpose?

I've also been on the lookout for a new chip dip recipe. I came across one recently and finally gave it a try. I love it so much! It's now my go to recipe for having friends over or television snacking. Click here for 3 Ingredient Chip Dip recipe.

My husband and I made quick work of this afternoon snack while putting up our Halloween decorations :)

Easy Halloween Cookies

Cutting Ghost Cookies, a photo by Digital Heather on Flickr.

I've always been on the fence about cookie cutters. I've never seemed to have the luck or skill that everyone else does. I have always had issues with my dough sticking (to the table, the rolling pin, to me, etc). I also experienced such frustration when trying to move my newly cut cookies to the baking sheet. They would get ruined or torn or just lose their shape. With the exception of gingerbread men, I gave up for years.

I bought a ton of new Halloween cookie cutters, determined to make it finally work and be an enjoyable experience. Surprisingly, everything was aces. I attribute it to an awesome cookie recipe that doesn't give any guff and a new (to me) process.

Halloween Cookie Recipe:

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, soft
• 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons Vanilla flavor
• 1/2 teaspoon Almond flavor
• 2 and 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350° F. Beat butter and sugar with electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in egg and extracts. Combine dry ingredients and add to mixture one cup at a time, mixing well with each addition. Dough does not require chilling. Divide dough into two balls. Roll out and cut cookies. Bake cookies on ungreased sheet approximately 8-11 minutes. The small cookies I made took about 6 minutes.

I recently discovered and fell in love with parchment paper. I use it practically every chance I get. I buy mine at the dollar store for a buck a roll and the quality is great. I decided to roll my dough out directly onto the parchment paper and cut my cookies. I then gently peeled away the extra dough, using a butterknife to help lift, if needed. My cookies stayed perfectly in place and kept their shape. I then placed the pieces of parchment paper on my cookie sheet and baked. Again, they kept their shape, and once cooled, they came right off the parchment paper. I can't believe how easy it was. I'm going to be making cookies all the time now! Just watch!

The cookie cutters I used here were all by Wilton. I had a variety of small and large shapes. Since you won't be moving the cookies once they are cut, be sure that you're "cutting" them far enough apart so they have room to bake and grow. For frosting, I just mixed confectioner's sugar and bottled water until I got a consistency I liked. I used food and frosting coloring also.

My favorite cookie cutters are the ghosts-- the large and small one. I positioned these ghosts together for a family photo and later thought it looked like a mommy ghost with her babies... until I realized how downright depressing that sounds!

I also really like the Wilton skull cookie cutter. When I bought it, I thought the protruding cheekbones could also serve as make-shift bolts on a Frankenstein cookie if I played my cards right. I didn't bother decorating the bolts, but you get the idea.

My husband and I spent a lovely afternoon baking and decorating Halloween cookies together. Oh and that cat cookie is downright demonic-- not my finest moment. I'm giving them (there's about 4) to a neighbor and hopefully their home doesn't mysteriously become haunted.

Banana and Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins

Muffins in Tins, a photo by Heather Says on Flickr.

I made these Banana and chocolate chip streusel muffins the other day. I'm still amazed at how awesome and yummy they are considering they take almost no time and were super easy to make. They didn't even make it through the day. The recipe makes 12 muffins-- I gave 4 to a neighbor and Jason and I made quick work of the rest. I'm happy I still have some frozen ripe bananas and can make more today. Next time I'm doubling this recipe!

Click here for full recipe and instructions

Sweet Little Ghost Cupcakes

Sweet Ghost Cupcakes, a photo by Heather Says on Flickr.

I've currently got 15 bottles of sprinkles in my baking cupboard. I'm not usually a sprinkle or jimmy hoarder, but every time I see a cute bottle, I have to get it. I'm doing so much fall baking lately that I justify buying more because I AM using them.

I made some cupcakes using a store-bought mix and frosting because I just wanted to get down to business and decorate already!

The cupcake mix is Pillsbury's Moist Supreme Perfectly Pumpkin. The frosting is cream cheese-flavored also by Pillsbury. I picked them up in the Halloween baking section of Target. They taste super yummy together. This cake mix isn't super pumpkiny-tasting either-- in case you were put off or wondering.

The ghosts are made by Wilton (gosh, I love Wilton almost as much as I love my husband) and they came from Party City for $5.00. Five bucks is 'spensive for only 12 ghosts but they are so cute! I had to shell out the monies. Sprinkles are also by Wilton.

This was my first time working with black food coloring. I tried to get a bottle at various grocery stores but couldn't find it. Supposedly it should be in a bottle with the other food colorings (usually in the spice aisle), but oh well. I ended up buying it at Michael's. This one is by Wilton and comes in a container similar to a short prescription medicine bottle. It was $2.00 for an ounce and is more of a paste than a liquid. I put a little directly into my frosting container and stirred with a butter knife. Adding a little made grey. Adding a little more made this lovely purple color. I wasn't expecting or trying to achieve it, but stuck with it.

The cupcake papers came from my local Fry's grocery store. They aren't Halloween-themed but they look like it. I buy them throughout the year and love them. They're also foil-lined, which I love, because the white designs stay white even if your cupcakes are dark.

Halloween Pumpkin Pizzelles

Halloween Pumpkin Pizzelles, a photo by Heather Says on Flickr.

This recipe made 50 cookies and aside from the dozen that we gave friends, my husband and I ate the rest in a matter of hours. They came out so yummy it was so difficult to not eat another and another.

Traditionally I make Christmas pizzelles and sprinkle them with confectioner's sugar but these pumpkin pizzelles tasted super yummy plain. I also made a batch with Halloween sprinkles.

Check it all out here.

P.S. My husband got such heebie jeebies when I put the cute spider here for a photo ;)

Franken Berry Cupcakes

FrankenBerry Cupcakes, a photo by Heather Says on Flickr.

Two cereals down, three to go! These came out so tasty! They look and taste like traditional funfetti cupcakes. I unpacked my Halloween decorations yesterday specifically looking for these eyeballs. Now I just have to do a little fall cleaning and decorate the house!

Click here for recipe and instructions.

Pumpkin Kissed Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Kissed Oatmeal Cookies, a photo by Heather Says on Flickr.

I love this fall recipe because it makes a ton of cookies. So many that I started packaging up cute little stacks and sharing. My new favorite thing is parchment paper. I've been buying it up at Dollar Tree whenever I can. I baked these cookies on it and also used some to wrap my little cookie packages. I'm also so glad I bought that little ghost stamp from the dollar section at Michael's last year. He came in handy this weekend.

Click here for cookie recipe, steps and cute cookie packaging info.