Random pictures :)

....Surprise!

So I saw this pan a while back and almost bought it but figured it was just a pan and I didn't need a pan that bad...

Well, my mom's small group gave me this pan for a little Christmas present because I usually bake something for them! It's wonderful! You just stick a candy bar, a piece of fruit, pretty much anything on that little "spike". Then you put your cupcake batter in it and when it bakes.....WALLAH! Magic! Surprise cupcakes!

Here we go again... :)

So I'm starting the blog again! More food, more fun, more shopping...just more of everything!

So here's my first official post and my first pictures.. I just got them and am officially in LOVE!

Crunchy outside...Chewy sweet goodness in the inside!

Ok...so I got this recipe book from the wonderful world of Sam's Club. Its a Hershey Kisses recipe book!

I made 500 of these cookies about 2 months ago for a valentine's day cooking show for my dad. So ya...lots and lots and lots of cookies goin' on in our kitchen.

The recipe makes about 4 dozen so you can make as much as you need...as did I!

Coconut Macaroon Recipe:

1/3 cup butter or margarine-softened

3 ounces cream cheese- I used slightly more and used a half of a package for each batch...a little cream cheese never hurt anyone!

3/4 cup sugar

1 egg yolk

2 teaspoons almond extract

2 teaspoons orange juice

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 cups coconut flakes-divided

48 hershey kiss milk chocolate candies

In a large bowl, beat butter, cream cheese and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until completely and utterly blended. Add egg yolk, almond extract and orange juice and beat well again. Stir together flour,baking powder and salt and gradually add to the butter mixture. Stir in 3 cups of the coconut and cover. Refrigerate for an our or until firm enough to handle.

Meanwhile, unwrap about a million hershey kisses...or like I did, have my brother and sister do them for me! :)

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Shape the dough into 1 inch balls and roll into the remaining coconut. This is the part it all broke down for me because there was already a bunch of coconut in it and although I like coconut, I don't like the rolling aspect of it and when you've got 499 more cookies to make, 1 cookie isn't going to be rolled in coconut...Not about to happen. So with new found resolve, I didn't add any coconut at all and just left it like it was when I took it out of the fridge. Deal with it, it happens.

So for me it was shaping and placing on a parchment paper covered baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly brown. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven place 1 Hershey kiss on each cookie. Cool a couple minutes then move to wax paper or plates and let sit for a couple hours. DON'T STACK THEM BEFORE THE KISSES SET UP! They have to cool the complete amount before you stack them in cute trays or whatever you will be using to serve...So, if any of the cookies make it to the partay...They will be a definate hit!

♥~Enjoy!

Mackenzee

The start....

So...This is the very first post of my blog and I'm super excited! This means everyone can cook some more...and eat some more...you know the gist.

I'm excited to share some special recipes with everyone and my pictures or anything else with you! You'll hear it all I'm sure!
I will upload pictures with the recipes so that you can see what they're supposed to look like. That always helps me because occasionally...the food goes flop...and it doesn't look very pretty at all.

Anyway....Recipes to come soon!

Mackenzee