I is for Inside-out Carrot Cake cookies

Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside; perfection

My grandma would really appreciate these cookies; she loves carrot cake and they really do taste like a carrot cake that has mysteriously shape shifted into a cookie sandwich. My favorite part about this recipe: the cream cheese and honey frosting. So simple a caveman could do it and it perfectly compliments the cookies, by the end my mom and I were seriously just sticking our fingers in the dish and eating the frosting by itself. But we used low fat, whipped cream cheese, which made it really runny and thin, so next time I'll get the really thick Philadelphia stuff to make it super creamy.

I had the same reaction with this recipe as the Beignets; they were very deformed and weird looking, but I didn't care because they were my babies and I loved them for who they were, plus they tasted awesome so who cares.

 Just know that they seriously spread out in the oven and becoming HUGE globs of cookies goodness, so instead of making a sandwich, it might be easier to just take one and dip it in the frosting, then you can get a bigger cookie: frosting ratio! Another short and to the point post without anecdotes so, until next time, show off those sweet teeth and always remember to ask "What's for dessert?"

From http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Inside-Out-Carrot-Cake-Cookies-109346

J is for Jam and Shortbread Cookies

As Rachel Ray would say: Yummo!

I made these light, springy cookies at the same time as I made the Graham Cracker Peanut Butter Bars, and BOY did they balance out that richness with the perfect amount of fruit and shortbread. 

They remind me of this super easy recipe my mom always made with fresh raspberries and buttermilk shortbread. It was so easy, so yummy. 

Except I stupidly put the shortbread dough in a huge casserole dish, then had to transfer it to a WAY smaller one, so definitely don't forget the aluminium foil, it also helps with serving it. I also love how you just pinch of the rest of the dough and it spreads out in the oven to create a yummy crispy crust.

I used a mixture of strawberry jam and some leftover raspberry preserves we had in the fridge 

 It's also one of those recipes where you can make it anytime, because it's so easy with such little ingredients that you always have on hand. LOVE IT! Yeah this is a short post, but until next time, show off those sweet teeth and always remember to ask "What's for dessert?"

From http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Jam-and-Shortbread-Squares-236087

G is for Graham Cracker Peanut Butter Bars

SO. GOOD.

When a recipe starts with "First microwave 2 sticks of butter," you know it's going to taste good. Guys, if you like, no, if you dream about Reese's like I do, please......don't make this recipe. You will not be able to handle yourselves, because after you eat one, the next thing you know, the entire pan is gone. At least that's what happened to me.
Now I'm really not a huge chocoholic like some other members of my family (cough cough, my sister), but I  ADORE anything with peanut butter and chocolate; Tagalongs, Reese's, just dipping a spoon in Nutella and peanut butter. I used to be in a fog about the peanut butter and chocolate combination, naively eating these things and thinking they were delicious. Once I sunk my teeth into this bar of creamy chocolate frosting, then crunchy rich peanut butter, I became enlightened to the nirvana of peanut butter and chocolate.

 There was something totally unexpected, yet comforting and familiar about this recipe. It tasted exactly like a Reese's, even down to the crunchy-ness of the peanut butter that came from the graham cracker crumbs, but the fact that it came in hefty 1-inch thick bars, made it that much more delectable.

Some tips I have when making this recipe, grease or put aluminum foil in the pan, because after they are refrigerated, they become quite stiff, so for easy serving, greasing the pan up with even MORE butter, might help. 

After being refrigerated for a couple hours

Trying to save not only myself, but my entire family, from becoming fat lards and eating this entire pan, I brought a Tupperware full of this stuff and handed them out to my lunch table, The next day, my friend dashed up to our lunch table, frantically searching for something, until she set her eyes on the plastic bag I had filled with the rest of them. She finally could breathe easy and after grabbing three and stuffing one in her mouth, she cautiously said "Kayla, I went home and told my mom about these and had been craving them for the entire day!" Crowd pleaser recipe? Check.

Now I realize these posts have pretty much been about how much I love (or hate, depending on the recipe) a certain thing and how it relates to some fond childhood memory. But that's what food does for me; it kind of describes my past, future and life itself. A simple thing like a raspberry mousse can flash me back to those summer adventures to the farm, or something like a meringue, can scare me into oblivion when it doesn't come together right, but not knowing if the cookies will taste good or look like the picture is half the fun of it; the other half is eating.
P.S. While writing this post, my sister actually asked me to make more of them. My response: Gladly, but do we have enough butter? Until next time, be proud of your sweet teeth and don't forget to ask "What's for dessert?"

From All recipes.com (a very handy website for recipes; it has the prep time and total time as well as a US/metric serving converter)
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/peanut-butter-bars-i/

P is for Popsicles

Don't try to pull entire popsicle out, my brother learned the hard way you'll just end up with a stick-less popsicle. Simply just cut the wax paper cup and peel.

It is the middle of January, the dead of winter. So why am I making Popsicles? For that exact reason, that I just stated. I'm making Popsicles because it's winter, everyone needs a pick-me up to get rid of the winter blues. My pick me up comes in the form of Popsicles, the very dessert associated with every summer memory; lazy days by the pool, no school (hey I rhymed!), just good, plain fun.

My family thoroughly enjoyed this light, healthy treat compared to all the heavy cookies and cake. Obviously it's easy, just pop all the ingredients in a blender and pour into wax cups, then half way through freezing them stick a popsicle stick in them.

Placing them in a deep dish helps stop them from falling over

But I actually learned something very useful from this popsicle recipe, BRAIN BLAST! So as a popsicle amateur, I was uninformed about the secret ingredient to perfect flaky popsicles, as opposed to a huge block of ice; gelatin. It makes sense, if you put orange juice in the fridge it becomes one huge orange brick, so what makes popsicles so easy to bite into? A simple gelatin packet, don't you dare forget it. Until next time, show off those sweet teeth, and don't forget to ask, "What's for dessert?"
From epicurious.com
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Homemade-Popsicles-235649

R for Rasberry Mascarpone Mousse

I live in Atlanta, and sometimes, when my family is feeling slightly Hill-Billy we shimmy on down to a small farm about 1 hour away, where you can roam the area, and pick your own fruits and vegetables. Now as a kid who oddly loved fruit, this was my paradise. Like in that book, Blueberries for Sal, (which was a bedtime classic in my household) I was that little girl that was eating all the ripe blackberries and wild strawberries rather than collecting them in my basket. But the old couple that owned that farm didn't mind, they were some of the nicest people I have ever known and after a couple hours of meandering down the endless aisles of cucumbers and grapes, we would sit on a picnic bench in front of their house, while they brought us delicious, freshly picked watermelon and some of the juiciest raspberries ever. To this day, I'm pretty positive I haven't had a better raspberry.

Now, in this recipe, when combined with cream and whipped crazy, with a lil' splash of blueberry liquor, it was not anywhere close to the taste of those fresh raspberries on those scorching July days, but it was still pretty darn yummy. This was not one of my favorites, just because the cream hogged all the limelight, while the poor raspberry flavor couldn't shine through. I thought it was going to be refreshing and cleansing, while, after a filling meal, it seemed to dense and bland, even if it's texture was airy and light. Though it had good intentions, I expected more from this recipe.

P.S. I never realized I had spelled raspberries wrong until this post, since when is there a "p" in the middle of the word? Who woulda thunk it.

From page 49 in Cuisinart cookbook

The Hazelnut butter cookie recipe can be found here...
 http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Hazelnut-Butter-Cookies-with-Mini-Chocolate-Chips-108976

H for Hazelnut Butter Cookies

The coveted main ingredient

I was a very fortunate child and was introduced to hazelnut very early in my life. But that being said, I have been a hazelnut freak ever since. Especially, when I was a youngster, every time I was in a grocery store and saw the word "Hazelnut" splashed across any surface; ice cream, cookies, spreads, my reflex would just grab it and place it in my cart, without even realizing it. The very rare occasion, my mom would ever let me anywhere near the Godiva shop, I would dash to the window filled with b-e-a-utiful chocolates and smash my face up against it, frantically searching for that hidden treasure. Ah yes, found it, that one row of perfection, otherwise known as Hazelnut and Chocolate truffles!

So obviously when I stumbled across this recipe, I just had to make it. One problem was finding the major ingredient; hazelnut butter. We checked our local Publix and local organic food store, but all they had was almond butter or hazelnut peanut butter. We finally found it in the form of chocolate hazelnut butter sample packets from Fresh Market. Besides that, this recipe was a breeze.

Dough after being refrigerated overnight

 I obviously halved this recipe since it made two dozen cookies and because the hazelnut packets only filled up about half a cup. Just to add kick and more hazelnut flavor, I added a dollop of Nutella in the batter. I also highly recommend making the batter a night before and then just popping them in the oven while you do your daily chores and fill the entire house with that tantalizing aroma. Another quick tip; the recipe says to do one sheet at a time, actually follow there advice, or else you will have to rotate the baking sheets, which is actually more work. Until next time, show off those sweet teeth and always remember to ask "What's for dessert?"

A for Apple Dumplings with Caramel Sauce

Does apple dumplings sounds kinda sketch to you too or is it just me? When I first read the title, I was like nope, next. But then I saw the picture and read the recipe. I became a new woman after that. It was incredibly easy; the hardest part, buying puff pastry dough, which is in the frozen section of every supermarket and coring the apples. It's definitely my favorite so far, super easy and super delicioso. Regarding the whole coring situation, by the fourth apple, I finally got my technique right. I chopped the bottom and top of the apple, to get a flat surface, then stabbed my knife around the core in a square shape. Do the same on the bottom then push the core through the bottom with your thumbs.

All my apple shavings...

Even if they break apart, the pastry dough holds them together in the oven

My beautiful Mt. Brinnagar (Brown Sugar and Cinnamon, cute display right?)
Also use aluminum foil on the baking sheet for easy clean up, because the brown sugar and cinnamon that's packed into the core turns to liquid and oozes out of the sides. (Yum!) I made this at like 10 at night, then the next morning had it for breakfast. Let me just say, it's delicious every second of the day, who doesn't love cinnamon apples smothered in caramel? I mean I'm only human.

Now a few years back, I developed an allergy towards apples. Random, I know, but even though it made my mouth all itchy and red, I still craved that crisp taste that only an apple can deliver. I took the chance with these babies and the risk was soooo worth it. After those few heavenly minutes of savoring that apple deliciousness, I braced myself for the itchyness ahead. But, surprisingly, it never came. Huh. So I guess my allergy has a loophole? Only when a crunchy apple is paired with cinnamon and pastry dough and baked till it's died, gone to heaven, and reborn into the unicorn of desserts, can my body accept and overcome my allergy. Well shucks, hope apples are ready, because Kayla's back in the game! Until next time, be proud of those sweet teeth, and don't forget to ask "What's for dessert?"

Like I said, the "unicorn" of all desserts

From Page 96 in Teens Cook Dessert

X for Xmas Bread Pudding

Okay, I know what your thinking, this recipe doesn't really qualify, but give me a break. What would you have done for a dessert that starts with x? Yeah think about that. This recipe, found on epicurious.com, was sooooo easy and super yummy. I would definitely make this during thanksgiving next year or as homemade Christmas presents, because it takes 5 minutes to mix the ingredients then coat the bread in it, transfer to a pan and wallah, a delicious pumpkiny bread pudding. Especially after the holidays this would be perfect, when you have extra pumpkin from pumpkin pie recipes and crusty rolls. Though I do suggest, you use a big mixing bowl, for I underestimated the amount of liquid mixture, and tried to whisk it in a small serving bowl, which could have led to a disaster. I also changed the recipe a bit, because I was too lazy to go to the store. Gasp! I know, but it was small changes, like 2 percent milk instead of whole, and whipping cream, instead of heavy cream and it turned out perfectly fine. See ya'll soon! 

My set up

From epicurious.com 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pumpkin-Bread-Pudding-240275

P.S.

Oh yeah the Mile high Lemon Meringue Pie recipe is on page 47 in the Cuisinart cookbook that came with my mixer.

M for Meringue

B-e-a-utiful

I swear, I thought this Meringue was going to be the death of me. Overall, meringue is stupid and I give props to those poor bakers who have to make it every day. Sure, before this I had seen and heard of a meringue, but had never made or tasted it. When throwing around ideas for each letter around the dinner table, I stupidly suggested to make a meringue, my mom agreed, saying "Oh yeah that would be such a challenge, I've never made one before, but I hear it's hard," and me, being naive and inexperienced, told myself I would do it, and boy did that go smoothly... Here are some tips I learned from this terrible, terrible experience. First, legitimately read over the entire recipe. Before I started, my dad told me that, and I said oh yeah I did already....lies. If I had seriously read it, instead of skimming over it once or twice, I would have realized that the recipe was very vague, misleading, and hard to understand. Secondly, just know that you are going to make a huge mess, so do it way before anyone else needs the kitchen, unlike me who tried to make it 30 minutes before dinner. Next, have someone in the kitchen with you if you get stressed easily, if it weren't for my mom to calm me down, I would have thrown that meringue out the window, because the meringue wasn't coming together right and if the lemon filling wasn't hot when I topped it with meringue, it would be ruined. Which means, if the meringue didn't work, I would have had to make the ENTIRE recipe over again and that would not make me happy. Lastly, the recipe is not law, for mine told me to whip the meringue for 4 minutes and it will get stiff, I whipped mine for 7 minutes straight, and it didn't stiffen, which is why I stormed off. Prepare everything ahead of time, try to measure everything out in seperate bowls, because this recipe is very fast-paced adn stressful. Lastly, just realize that you will make a huge mess in your kitchen when making this. 

Separate the yolks and whites for the filling and meringue

This is just an example of preparing before starting.

Starting the meringue, still happy. That will soon change....

Giving the meringue a death stare.

When I finally finished, it was like a weight lifted of my shoulders. Jeez did I hate that thing. But it's over now and it's in my belly. Overall, everyone liked it. My sister made the good observation of stating it's like key lime pie, but better, because the lemon filling was not as tart. But it was a little runny and overflowed, which is why I baked it on top of a baking sheet.

P.S. Don't touch your hand to the top to see if it is cooled, the meringue will stick to your entire palm. Just trust me on this.

Until next time, be proud of your sweet teeth and never forget to ask "What's for dessert?"