Jell-o Jigglers - Letter "J"

what you need

2-1/2

cups  boiling water (Do not add cold water.)

4 pkg.  (3 oz. each) JELL-O Gelatin, any flavor - Olivia chose the berry blue flavor

make it

STIR boiling water into dry gelatin mix in large bowl at least 3 min. until completely dissolved. Pour into 13x9-inch pan.

REFRIGERATE at least 3 hours or until firm.

DIP bottom of pan in warm water 15 sec. Cut into 24 decorative shapes using 2-inch cookie cutters, being careful to cut all the way through gelatin to bottom of pan. Lift JIGGLERS® from pan. Reserve scraps for snacking. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/jell-o-jigglers-53920.aspx

Shamrock Stained Glass Cookies

Put the crushed candy pieces in the middle.




picture of the back


Here's a picture of my first attempt. I wanted one shamrock inside another one. It was much harder than the circles because the length from the inside out was shorter and they easily fell apart. The one small Shamrock inside a circle worked much better!

Shamrock Stained Glass Cookies

Ingredients & Supplies Needed:

6 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt
1 tube of Betty Crocker Decorating Gel Green Icing
1 small jar Cake Mate green Decorating Decors sugars
30 Brach's Star Brites Spearmint candies
mini Shamrock cookie cutter

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness. Form a ball and then flatten. Use mini Shamrock cookie cutter in the middle. Take out center piece. Add crushed spearmint candy pieces in the middle of the cookie.
7. Bake on a greased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges and candy completely melted in center.
8. Once cooled, add icing and decorating sugar.

Valentine Brownie Cupcakes

Valentine Brownie Cupcakes


You'll make yourself and your Valentine very happy with these!

Make the pan of brownies ahead of time so that they can thoroughly cool.
Best Brownies
Ingredients:

* 1/2 cup butter
* 1 cup white sugar
* 2 eggs
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour an 8 inch square pan.
2. In a large saucepan, melt 1/2 cup butter. Remove from heat, and stir in sugar, eggs, and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat in 1/3 cup cocoa, 1/2 cup flour, salt, and baking powder. Spread batter into prepared pan.
3. Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.
4. Allow these to cool thoroughly, preferably until the next day.
5. Take a small heart shaped cookie cutter and cut out the hearts.

Next, bake your cupcakes. The cupcake recipe is from Kelly Eason. She substitutes margarine and soy milk, instead of butter and regular milk, to make this recipe work for her lactose intolerant child.
Cupcakes
Ingredients:

* 2 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
* 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 3/4 c. butter, softened
* 1 3/4 c. sugar
* 3 large eggs, room temperature
* 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
* 1 1/4 c. milk
* 1 container of Pillsbury Valentine's Funfetti Frosting (sprinkles included)
* 1 bag of Jet-Puffed HeartMallows (Marshmallows)Strawberry Flavored


Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

In bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt with a wire whisk.

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla and mix until completely combines. Slowly add flour alternately with milk. Mix until smooth. Bake until slightly brown on top.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, add frosting. Then with a butter knife, cut a small indention in the top and add a brownie heart standing up. Add sprinkles or sugar crystals if desired.

Enjoy!

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Very delicious and festive!

Ingredients & Supplies
6 cups flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
red food coloring
green food coloring
various Christmas cookie cutters - stocking and candy cane for red dough and
Christmas trees for green dough

Directions
1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Divide the mix in half. Add and mix red food coloring into half and green in the other half. (If you wait and put the red food coloring on the dough after it is slightly chilled, it will make a tie-dye effect that looks cool for the candy canes.)
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes. I like using a stocking and candy cane cutter for the red dough and a Christmas tree cutter for the green dough.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

*Dough freezes well*

Crescent Butterflies

Crescent Butterflies

If you like "Pig in the blankets", you'll love these crescent butterflies!

Olivia had a butterfly themed birthday party and this was one of the finger foods I prepared. The recipe is from Taste of Home and I simplified it a little. The URL for the original recipe is http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/Crescent-Butterflies.

Ingredients

* 2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
* 1 small pkg. of Little Smokies sausages
* 2 tablespoons butter, melted
* 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

* Unroll crescent dough on a lightly floured surface; roll into a 12-in. x 9-in. rectangle. Seal seams. Cut with a butterfly cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Press a Little Smokies sausage in the middle of each butterfly.
* Brush wings with butter. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

No Fail Sugar Cookies

I got this great recipe from a sweet friend, Amy, in Macedonia. She also had a butterfly theme for her daughters 1st birthday and the cookies were so delicious! I asked her for the recipe and she said she had found it on www.food.com. The URL is http://www.food.com/recipe/no-fail-sugar-cookies-108172.





No Fail Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

6 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
2 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs and vanilla.
3. Mix dry ingredients and add to butter mixture.
4. Mix well.
5. Chill for 1 to 2 hours.
6. Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
7. Bake on an ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.