Turtle Pecan Cluster Cookies

I love Turtles, Pecan Clusters, whatever you want to call them. So my husband and I saw that Nestle has some pre-made Turtle Cookies. We decided to buy them. I can honestly say I have never been so disappointed in a cookie. The pecans all fell off when I opened the package, and there wasn't enough caramel. I decided I would make my own.

I already had some mini chocolate chips from a previous project. Here's what else you'll need.

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Ingredients:

1 pkg. chopped or crushed pecans. I used crushed.

1 pkg. Kraft Caramel Bits

2 1/8 cups of flour. I use Self-Rising, just my preference.

3/4 cup of softened butter

5/8 cup of sugar

1 egg

5/8 cup of firm brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a medium bowl. Make sure you scrape the sides. 

Add eggs and vanilla, continue to beat.

Add flour gradually. Remember to scrape the sides often.

Fold in the chocolate chips, caramel bits, and pecans.

I used the whole pkg of chocolate chips, 3/4 pkg of caramel bits, and 1/2 pkg of pecan bits.

Refrigerate at least one hour, preferably overnight.

Bake at 350 for approximately 12 minutes.

I was very pleased with the outcome. My husband said they taste better than the store-bought kind.

I think he's a keeper ;)





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Shoe Sale Cupcakes ft. Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Vodka Icing

It's my friend's birthday today. She also happens to be my co-worker. In our office, we do birthdays right!

Tiffany loves shoes. I mean when she has down time at work, she is shopping for shoes. She also loves pink, and what goes together better than pink and shoes? I've also wanted to try this Pinnacle Cookie Dough Vodka that my husband and I came across on the internet then went around looking for it in our small little town. Who does like cookie dough? In vodka form...whaaaat?

Let's start with the shoes. You'll need a template, wax paper, and white chocolate. I used chocolate chips. You can use whatever melting chocolate you want.

Place the chocolates in a zip-lock bag and melt it ten seconds at a time. Don't melt it completely, the unmelted pieces will melt when you squish the bag together. You can slit the zip-lock bag to make it a piping bag.  Place the wax paper over the template, and pipe the chocolate in the shape of the template.

It doesn't have to be smooth. Make sure you let it dry completely and make extras, just in case. I wouldn't advise putting them in the fridge, they might thaw a little if you do. It shouldn't take too long for them to dry, maybe 30-40 minutes.

After you are through piping start making your icing. I started with Wilton's buttercream. After you get it the consistency you like, start adding the vodka.

I added it 1/4 tsp at a time. Considering this is the first time I've ever attempted to add vodka to, well, anything. I turned out adding about 2 shots of vodka to it.

The key is to keep adding it until you get it to taste the way you want it to. I taste tested after every addition until I just decided to pour some in there.

Also, with the buttercream, I only added about a tablespoon of milk, so it wouldn't be too runny when the vodka was added.

Chocolate chip cookie dough vodka, Score!
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It's a Jungle Buddies Birthday!

Happy Birthday Dray! My aunt's grandson just turned one, and she commissioned me to make a Jungle Buddies themed Birthday cake. First, I had to look up what the heck Jungle Buddies was. Google images is great, isn't it. I found all kinds of party supplies for inspiration.

The plan was to make a 12x18 white sheet cake (requested), Wilton's snow white vanilla almond buttercream icing, and buttercream transfers for the shapes.

Cake, check.
Icing, check.
Transfers,...yeah that didn't go so well.

Here's what I came up with: ( I took the picture after I had decided to discard it, so there are some cake crumbs on it :D).

The problem with the transfer was: I couldn't get it to come off the wax paper. I guess I should have read this a little closer.

Oh well, off to plan b.

The thing is, plan b wasn't so fool proof.

I ended up free-handing the animals. I looked at the pictures, piped an outline, then filled it in with a  larger tip.

I guess it didn't turn out so bad after all.