Treats for My Sweets

Hello sweets! Hope everyone is having a great Thursday so far. Are ya'll ready for Friday yet?!

I don't know what my deal is this week, but I am absolutely starving for baked goods. Maybe it's because the weather is cooler or everyone is burning those yummy vanilla candles right now....but I'm positively dying for sweet stuff!

I love to scope out new recipes to share with my fellow Ambitioners, and yesterday, I hit the motherload.

Check out these 3 new treats that are guaranteed to quelch your cravings. Just click the name of the dessert to get the recipe:

Snickerdoodle Duo from Bakerella

These little goodies are the best of both worlds; cookies and cupcakes! Even better, they look kind of fancy, so you can totally impress your co-workers at the next office party.

Chocolate Chip Treasure Cookies from Hostess with the Mostess

Chocolate, coconut, walnuts and more- these cookies pack a powerful, sugary punch. I can just imagine how good these would be with a hot cup of coffee. Mmmmm......

Bourbon Sweet Potato Cupcakes from Bakerella

These put an entirely different spin on the classic cupcake. My instinct tells me that if you love sweet potato casserole, you'd probably love these too.

So...hungry yet?

P.S.- I found an even better Pumpkin Spice Latte than Starbucks (GASP!!) If you live in Northwest Arkansas, visit Silver Joe's over by Pinnacle Hills and order a Pumpkin Pie Latte immediately. It was bliss.....pure, pumpkiny bliss.

*All photos courtesy of Bakerella and Hostess With the Mostess.

Show Us Your Life: Southern Cornbread Stuffing

This week's "Show Us Your Life" from Kelly's Korner is all about Thanksgiving recipes and traditions. My all time favorite Thanksgiving treat is Southern Cornbread Stuffing! Yummm!

Southern Cornbread Stuffing

Ingredients:

Cornbread, (recipe follows)

7 slices oven-dried white bread

1 sleeve crackers, (recommended: Saltine)

8 Tbsp. butter

2 cups chopped celery

1 large onion, chopped

7 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. sage, (optional)

1 Tbsp. poultry seasoning, (optional)

5 eggs, beaten

Cornbread:

1 cup self-rising cornmeal

1/2 cup self-rising flour

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread, dried white bread slices, and saltines; set aside.
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the celery and onion and cook until transparent, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Pour the vegetable mixture over cornbread mixture. Add the stock, mix well, taste, and add salt, pepper to taste, sage, and poultry seasoning. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Pour mixture into a greased pan and bake until dressing is cooked through, about 45 to 60 minutes.

Cornbread:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour batter into a greased shallow baking dish. Bake for approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

Happy Friday ladies (and guys)!

P.S.- Dog Name Update: You guys all had such good suggestions! My favorites were Lucy, Chloe and Annie and I would have been happy with any of those. However, my little brother back home really wanted to name her Lola and since he will actually be the one living with her and my parents...well, Lola it is : )

And doesn't this collar just look like something a Lola would wear? Ha!

But since all of you guys were such sports to play along...I'll give everyone who commented yesterday 5 extra entries!

Savory Soups

It's the 2nd official day of A Blonde Ambition's Halloween Countdown! The weather is cooling off, which means the food is heating up! Creamy, filling soups are the edibles of choice for many of us this time of year. My mom usually made a big pot of chili on Halloween night when I was little, so I thought I'd share some soup/chili recipes with you from my favorite southern cook, Paula Deen!

Just click on the link below the ingredients to get directions, estimated servings and difficulty level!

Chef Jack's Corn Chowder

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken stock

2 cups half-and-half

3 cups white corn kernels, fresh or frozen

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small celery stalk, diced

1 small carrot, finely diced

1 small onion, diced

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Salt and pepper

Click here to get the full recipe and instructions!

Italian Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Note: This soup is both fiber-filled and heart healthy, so you can go back for seconds and avoid feelings of guilt later : )

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces (about 1 3/4 pound)

1 small onion, chopped

1 cup sliced carrots (about 3 small)

2 1/2 cups sliced zucchini (about 2 medium)

2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano

2 (14.5-ounce) cans chicken broth

Grated Parmesan, (optional)

For directions and details, click here!

Jamie's Chili

Ingredients:

Shredded cheddar cheese (for garnish)

Sour cream (for garnish)

Chopped green onions (for garnish)

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 (14 1/2 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed

Ground cumin

1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes

2 cups chopped celery

Chili powder

1 package chili seasoning mix

1 small can tomato paste

1 can chili beans

2 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 green bell pepper diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 lb mixed ground beef and sausage, browned and drained

Click here for the full recipe!

So what is your favorite cold-weather comfort food? Do you have a traditional meal you prepare the day of Halloween?

Outrageous Caramel Apples

Hey everyone! Hope all of you have enjoyed a great, relaxing weekend, wherever you are.

Today marks the start of A Blonde Ambition's Halloween Week Countdown! So instead of dreading the work week ahead, enjoy all the festivities and fun of Halloween! It only happens once a year, so let's do it up right!

First, to start our week off right, we'll make some of Paula Deen's Outrageous Caramel Apples...please hold your applause until the end : )

These treats are SO sweet, your dentist definitely won't approve, (sorry Dr. Wilson!!), but what is Halloween without a caramel apple?

Outrageous Caramel Apples

Ingredients

2 cans B. Lloyds Sweet and Salty Glazed and roasted Pecan Pieces

5 Granny Smith Apples, stems removed

1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoon milk

1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

5 craft sticks

Directions:

Line a baking tray with wax paper and set aside. Pour nuts into a medium mixing bowl and set aside. Place a craft stick into the top of each apple.

In a microwave safe bowl, heat caramels and milk for 4 minutes. Stir and heat again for 1 minute. Allow to cool slightly. Roll each apple in the caramel sauce until well coated. Dip end of each apple in nuts and place on wax lined tray. Allow to cool completely.

While apples are cooling. Place semi sweet chocolate chips in a zip lock bag and microwave until melted. Place white chocolate chips in a zip lock bag and microwave until melted. Snip the ends off each bag and drizzle apples with each chocolate. Refrigerate until set.

P.S.- You've probably noticed that my button looks a little different...I gave it a makeover today, so feel free to grab it or, if you already have, replace the old one!

Show Us Your Life - Desserts

This week on Show Us Your Life at Kelly's Korner, bloggers are featuring their favorite quick and easy dessert recipes. If you are looking for a warm, comforting, fall recipe, you've come to the right blog.

Aunt Bertha's Fresh Apple Cake

Ingredients:

Cake:

• Butter, for greasing pan
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups peeled and finely chopped apples
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup chopped pecans
  

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease a tube pan.
For the cake: in a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, oil, orange juice, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and vanilla extract; and mix well. Fold apples, coconut, and pecans into batter.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake until a tester comes out clean, about 1 1/2 hours.

Shortly before the cake is done, make the sauce: Melt the butter in a large saucepan, stir in the sugar, buttermilk, and baking soda, and bring to a good rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute. Pour the sauce over the hot cake in the pan as soon as you remove it from the oven. Let stand 1 hour, then turn out onto a rack to cool completely.

Cook Time: 1 hr 30 min

Yield: 16 to 20 servings

Want more yummy fall dessert ideas? Hop on over to Kelly's Korner and see what others had to say!

Cravings Corner: Frivolous, Feminine Fun

I invented Cravings Corner to post things each week that I'm, well, craving : ) It can be anything; food items, cute accessories, home decor finds, art, music, movies, you name it. I thought the best way to begin this week's Cravings Corner would be to post a sweet treat recipe. This comes from Susan Holifield.

(Photo courtesy of Lollipop Events & Design)

Date Nut Krispies

2 sticks of butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg (slightly beaten)
1 Box (8 oz) Chopped Dates
1 Cup Pecan (Cookie Pieces)
1 tsp. Vanilla
5 cups Rice Krispy's cereal

Melt butter, add sugar and stir until sugar begins to dissolve, then add the egg while mixture is still only warm (this is important). Add dates, stirring constantly and as mixture begins to bubble, add nuts. It will re-heat back to bubble stage quickly. Cook for approximately five minutes (stirring constantly). Add vanilla, stir well, then add rice krispies and mix well. Spread mixture onto a 9 x 13 inch pan. Cool, cut and enjoy!

I think these wall graphics from Etsy are very dainty and feminine. I really want to get some for my bedroom. Since I live in an apartment and can't paint the walls, it's the perfect solution for jazzing up my surroundings!

I discovered Lollipop Events & Design last night and can't stop looking at it. You HAVE to check out their blog. It's frivolity at its finest! They feature great ideas for events and parties. And how fun is the photo below?! I love the destroyed cake and massive 60's-era hair. Yeah...Lollipop....you gotta check em' out.

And some more photos from Lollipop for your viewing pleasure...

What are you craving this week? How about a couple days of relaxation? : )

Pecan Praline Bar Recipe

It's raining big time today, which means it's a good day for baking! I don't know what it is about rainy weather and wanting to bake things, but hey, to each her own. I'm planning on making a batch of these puppies as soon as I get off work today.

Mrs. Susan Holifield makes these addictive little sweets called Praline Pecan Bars and they are amazing! I've gotten so many requests for this recipe lately that I thought I would post it here.

Warning: They are extremely addictive and it's impossible to eat just one!

Ingredients:

1 box graham crackers

1 cup packed brown sugar

2 sticks (1 cup) real butter

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Break crackers up into 4 smaller pieces (per cracker). Place crackers on a 10 x 15, aluminum foil lined cookie sheet.

2. Bring sugar, butter and vanilla to a boil for 1 minute, 30 seconds. Add nuts. Pour mixture on top of the crackers and spread evenly.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

4. Bake for 7-8 minutes. Cool for a few minutes on pan, then remove cookies from pan and cool on a wire rack.