freedom cake.

Uncle Mark nicknamed this cake Freedom Cake, because after all I did make it for the 4th this year. It would be lovely treat year around though. Freedom Cake is actually a Buttermilk cake with a warm berry compote filling, cream cheese frosting and topped with fresh fruit (what a mouthful!). A delicious mouthful!

Buttermilk Birthday Cake (From: Nigella Lawson's How To Be A Domestic Goddess)

1 2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk (or 1/3 cup plain yogurt mixed with 1/2 cup low fat milk)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup soft unsalted butter

3/4 cup sugar

3 large eggs

One 9 inch square cake pan or two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans, lined with parchment or wax paper and greased

Preheat oven to 350. Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl and set aside. Pour the buttermilk (or yogurt and milk) into a measuring cup and stir in the vanilla. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed (or by hand, of course) until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed if using the mixer and add the eggs ones at a time, beating for 30 seconds between additions. Add alternating increments of the flour mixture and the vanilla- buttermilk, blending well after each addition; this should take 3-5 minutes.

Pour into the prepared pan or pans, and bake for about 40 minutes (30 is using the layer cake pans) until the cake is beginning to shrink away from the sides and a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes before unmolding to let cool completely.

Cream Cheese Frosting

I love a good cream cheese frosting! I created this version of cream cheese frosting one day when I needed something tasty to go on some cupcakes. This recipe can easily be doubled or halved.

4 oz cream cheese, soft

1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, soft

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Beat ingredients together on medium speed until smooth. Add more powdered sugar to reach a thicker consistency. If necessary, add a few tablespoons of milk to thin out frosting. Store in refrigerator for up to one week.

To assemble your cake, you will need:

1 recipe for buttermilk birthday cake (two 8 or 9 inch round)

1/2 recipe for warm berry compote

1 recipe for cream cheese frosting

Garnish: fresh strawberries and blueberries, rinsed and sliced

Make the buttermilk cake according to directions above. To make Freedom Cake, make two 8 or 9 inch round cakes. Once cakes are cool, place one round cake on cake stand. Pour warm berry compote in the middle. Start with 1/2 cup compote and spread over cake. Add more compote, if desired. I like a lot of filling so I always add more. Top compote with second round cake. Make cream cheese frosting according to directions above. Ice cake top and sides with frosting. Garnish with fresh strawberries and blueberries, if desired. Raspberries and mint would be a beautiful garnish, too. Due to frosting, store finished cake in the refrigerator until serving and if there are any leftovers.

xx.

val

mint mousse.

Nana's mint mousse- yum yum! This is a Boyle holiday favorite!

22 oreos

1 c. condensed milk

1 bag large marshmallows (32 marshmallows)

1/2 t. peppermint extract

12 drops green food coloring

1 pt. heavy whipping cream

Grind up 22 oreos in a food processor. Sprinkle 3/4 of the ground oreos into the bottom of a 13 by 9 pan to make an oreo crust.

Melt one cup condensed milk and 32 large marshmallows over medium heat. Stir often to keep from burning at the bottom. Add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and 12 drops of green food coloring. Pull off heat.

Beat one pint of heavy whipping cream until it is light and fluffy. Fold into the marshmallow mixture. When completely folded in, pour over oreo crust. Sprinkle the remaining ground oreos over the top. Chill mint mousse in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.

xx.

val

christmas pretzels.

These Christmas pretzels are a terrific blend of salty and sweet! They are quick and easy to make, which is a great bonus at holiday time.

Pretzels, small size

Hershey's kisses, I used the dark chocolate kisses (yum!)

Peanut Butter M&M's

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. On a cookie sheet, spread out pretzels. Top each pretzel with a Hershey's kiss. Bake for 2 minutes. Pull your chocolate pretzels out of the oven and push a peanut butter m&m into the center of each hershey's kiss. Let the christmas pretzels cool on the cookie sheet (or carefully move each one to a plate or parchment paper to cool). Once the chocolate kisses have harden again, you can move the christmas pretzels to a Ziploc baggie or air tight container for storage.

xx.

val

mint brownies.

There are a ton of ways to make mint brownies. Use the same technique from the caramel brownies- switch out the caramel and switch in a mint flavored chocolate. Try any of these mint chocolate favorites- peppermint patties (shown here), Andes mints, Ghirardelli mint chocolate bar.

Melt 6 oz (or less for a less minty flavor) mint chocolate over low heat with 1/3 c. evaporated milk (or regular milk). Spoon melted mint chocolate over the 6 minute cooked brownies. Cover with remaining 1/3 brownie batter and finish baking.

If you want to skip melting the chocolate, I stuck these peppermint patties straight into the unbaked brownie batter. I made sure every square got a patty. Then baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Another great way to add mint goodness to your brownies is to frost them!

Mint frosting:

1/2 c. powdered sugar

2 T butter, softened

1 T milk

1/2 t. vanilla extract

1 t. mint extract

1- 2 drops green food coloring

Blend together until smooth. If it is too thick, add another tablespoon of milk. If it is too thin, add more powdered sugar. If you want a more minty flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon mint extract at a time.

However you decide to make mint brownies, I'm sure you will enjoy!

xx.

val

caramel brownies.

These ooey gooey treats are great year around, but for some reason I just love caramel goodies when the weather gets chilly. Tomorrow I'll post how to make yummy mint brownies with the same technique used here.

You will need:

- brownie box mix OR a recipe for homemade brownies (see below)

- 12-14 oz bag caramel candies OR a recipe for homemade caramel candies (Here is a recipe I found for homemade candies that looks wonderful and easy: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/caramels/detail.aspx)

- 1/3 c. evaporated milk

Unwrap caramels from their wrappers and melt over low heat with 1/3 c. evaporated milk. Whisk frequently. Make brownie mix according to package instructions or make homemade brownies.

Homemade Brownies-

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 c. (1 stick plus 1/2 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 c. sugar

3 eggs, at room temperature

1 t. vanilla extract

7/8 c. whole wheat flour (or 1 c. all purpose flour)

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 by 9 oven safe dish. Over low heat melt chocolate and butter together. Stir frequently. Add sugar. When blended, take off heat. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour.

When all ingredients are well blended, pour 2/3 of the batter into greased 13 by 9 dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pan from oven and spoon melted caramels over brownie mixture. Cover with remaining brownie mixture. Finish baking at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.

xx.

val

pumpkin cookies with brown butter icing.

Normally I like to come up with my own recipes, but I got the recipe for these delicious treats from the ultimate expert in tasty cookies, Martha Stewart. They are soft, moist and amazing.

Cookies:

2 3/4 c. all purpose flour (I use whole wheat flour)

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 1/4 t. coarse salt

1 1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1 1/4 t. ground ginger

3/4 t. ground nutmeg

3/4 c. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened

2 1/4 c. packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 c. (14 oz) canned solid-pack pumpkin

3/4 c. evaporated milk

1 t. pure vanilla extract

Icing: (I normally cut this recipe in half.)

4 c. confectioners' sugar, sifted

10 T (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter

1/4 c. plus 1 T evaporated milk

2 t. pure vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside. Mix together butter and brown sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffly, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs. Reduce speed to low. Add pumpkin, evaporated milk and vanilla; mix until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add flour mixture; mix until combined.

Transfer 1 1/2 cups batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2" plain tip (such as Ateco #806). Pipe 1 1/2 inch rounds onto parchment- lined baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until tops spring back, about 12 minutes. Cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely.

For the icing, put confectioners' sugar in a large bowl; set aside. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling pan occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add butter to confectioners' sugar, scraping any browned bites from sides and bottom of the pan. Add evaporated milk and vanilla; stir until smooth. Spread about 1 teaspoon icing onto each cookie. If icing stiffens, stir in more evaporated milk, a little at a time. Cookies can be stored in single layers in airtight containers at room temperature up to 3 days (if they last that long).

xx.

val

dump cake.

This dessert is the easiest thing to make and very tasty.

1 can crushed pineapple

1 can pie filling (cherry, blueberry, apple)

1 box cake mix (white or yellow)

1 stick butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Dump 1 can crushed pineapple, 1 can pie filling (flavor of your choice) and one cake mix into a 13 by 9 pan.  Top with cubed butter.  Bake for one hour.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

xx.

val

chocolate candies.

These homemade chocolate candies were the favors for Anna's baby shower.  They got a little melty in the Arizona heat, but they were delicious!  There are three types: Top left- coconut; top right- maple with walnuts; bottom - cherry.  Each flavor was a batch that made around 30 chocolates.  

For one batch you will need:

8 oz Bittersweet chocolate (Suggested: Ghirardelli baking bar)

2/3 cup heavy cream (up to 1 c. heavy cream)

3 T butter

1 t. vanilla extract

Add to each batch one or two of these things:

1 t. coconut extract

1 t. peppermint extract

1 t. almond extract

1 t. maple extract

chopped walnuts

chopped almonds

chopped pecans

4 oz cherry flavored baking morsels

4 oz peppermint flavored baking morsels

4 oz peanut butter chips

4 oz toffee chips

4 oz butterscotch chips

2- 3 oz amaretto

2- 3 oz baileys

2-3 oz kahlua

If desired, roll chocolates in: toasted nuts, cocoa powder, toasted coconut

Chop chocolate into small pieces.  Place in a mixing bowl.  If you want to add baking morsels or flavored chips to your chocolate truffle, place them in the mixing bowl with the chopped chocolate.  Over low heat, melt 3 T butter.  Add melted butter to your chopped chocolate.  In the same saucepan, heat heavy cream until the cream is just about to boil.  Pour over chopped chocolate.  Wait a minute, then carefully stir together chocolate, butter and cream.  Add vanilla extract and other extracts, if desired.  If adding liqueur, do so at this time.  Stir to combine until chocolate pieces and chips are all melted and mixture is smooth.  If adding nuts to your chocolates, stir in once all the chocolate is melted.  Let cool a few minutes.  (If all the chocolate won't melt after stirring for a few minutes, heat 1/3 c. more heavy cream until it is just about to boil.  Pour over the chocolate mixture and stir to combine.)  

If making square chocolate candies, pour chocolate mixture into a 13 by 9 pan, cover with foil, and refrigerate for one hour.  If the chocolate is hard enough after a hour, cut into small squares.  Place chocolate squares in a parchment lined dish and refrigerate until just before eating.  If making round chocolates, place mixing bowl into the fridge for one hour.  If chocolate is hard enough after a hour, using a ice cream scoop, scoop out truffles into a parchment lined dish.  If you want to roll your chocolates in nuts, cocoa powder or coconut, do so at this time.  Refrigerate until just before eating.  

Bring chocolate candies to room temperature before eating.  Enjoy!

xx.

val

fruit pastry.

1 sheet puff pastry (Suggested: Pepperidge Farm), cooked according to package directions

1/2 c. vanilla yogurt

1/2 c. ricotta cheese 

4 oz cream cheese 

1/4 c. honey 

zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon

1 t. vanilla extract

fruit (I used raspberries, blueberries and strawberries)

dark chocolate, optional

Cook one sheet of puff pastry according to package directions.  Let cool for a few minutes.  Very careful cut through the puff pastry with a bread knife.  

In a bowl, combine vanilla yogurt, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, honey, lemon zest and juice and vanilla extract.  Beat together.  For more sweetness, add more honey.

Wash and chop fruit of your choice. 

Assemble:  Bottom layer puff pastry, layer of cream mixture, layer of fruit, top layer puff pastry.  Cut into squares and serve.  Drizzle with melted dark chocolate, if desired.

Melt a few ounces dark chocolate over low heat in a small saucepan.  Use a fork to drizzle chocolate over fruit pastry.

xx.

val 

butterscotch and chocolate chip cookie bars.

As some of you know, I'm a big fan of the cookie bar.  Basically due to laziness :)  The cookie bar cooks once- easy and delicious!  To have cookies, it would take three rounds of in and out of the oven.  Occasionally the little extra work is worth it though.  Certainly if you prefer cookies to cookie bars, go for it!  This recipe is similar to my whole wheat chocolate chip cookie bar recipe, but I wanted to share my success using stevia powder in these yummy things!

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 c. butter, at room temperature

3/4 t. stevia powder plus 3/4 c. plain yogurt (or 3/4 c. sugar)

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 c. butterscotch chips

1 c. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease 13 by 9 pan.  In a bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking soda and salt.  Set aside.  In another bowl, combine butter, stevia powder, plain yogurt and brown sugar.  Add vanilla and eggs one at a time.  Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Blend well.  Stir in butterscotch and chocolate chips.   Pour into the greased 13 by 9 pan.  Bake for 17 minutes.  For cookies, use a cookie sheet and bake 7 to 9 minutes.  

xx.

val

chocolate zucchini cupcakes.

A great way to eat your veggies...in a yummy cupcake!

2 c. whole wheat flour

2 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 t. cinnamon

1 c. butter, at room temperature

2 t. stevia powder (or liquid) plus 2 c. unsweetened applesauce (OR 2 c. sugar)

3 eggs, at room temperature

2/3 c. cocoa powder

1 t. vanilla extract

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

milk, as needed

3 small zucchini or 2 large zucchini, grated

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Set aside.  In another bowl, combine butter, stevia powder and applesauce.  Add eggs and cocoa powder; beat well.  Add vanilla extract, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients; beat well.  If needed, add up to 1/2 c. milk.  Beat until smooth.  Stir in grated zucchini (2 to 3 cups).  Spray your cupcake tin with cooking spray or line the tin with cupcake liners.  Scoop batter into cupcake tin, about 2/3 of the way full.  Bake for 17- 18 minutes.  

Dust with confectioners' sugar or frost, if desired.

Frosting:

1 c. cool whip

1 c. plain yogurt

juice of 1 lemon

zest of 1 lemon

1/2 t. to 1 t. stevia powder 

1 t. vanilla extract

Mix ingredients together and blend well.  Start with 1/2 t. stevia.  If you wish frosting to be sweeter, add another 1/2 t. stevia.  

xx.

val

angel food cake with berries.

Finish of your 4th of July celebration with this tasty treat.  Warm angel food cake with berries baked right into it.  

angel food cake:

6 egg whites

3/4 t. cream of tarter

3/4 c. organic sugar (suggested: Wholesome Sweetners)

3/4 t. vanilla extract

1/2 t. almond extract

1/2 c. whole wheat flour, sifted

1/8 t. salt

fresh berries- strawberries, blueberries, raspberries

whipped topping

strawberry sauce

Separate egg - white and yolks.  Discard yolks or store for another use.  Beat egg whites and cream of tarter on high speed until foamy.  Still on high speed, add sugar cane 1/4 c. at a time (3/4 c. total) until sugar is dissolved and egg whites stand in soft peaks.  Beat in vanilla and almond extracts.  Sift your flour before measuring.  Sift together flour and salt.  Gently fold in flour and salt.

This recipe makes just the right amount to fit nicely in a loaf pan.  If you want to make a traditional angel food cake- double the ingredients and use an angel food cake pan.  For berries on the top (picture above), place berries in the bottom of your pan and then pour angel food cake batter over top.  For berries baked into the cake (picture below), pour cake batter into the pan and then drop berries into cake batter.  Either way works well and tastes wonderful.  Bake at 350 for 25 minutes in a loaf pan.  30 to 35 minutes for an angel food cake pan.

When cake is cooled slightly, remove from pan onto a serving platter.  Serve warm with whipped topping and strawberry sauce.  

Strawberry sauce:

1 part pureed strawberries and 1 part water; shake well.  For example, I took 1 c. of strawberries and pureed them in the magic bullet.  Once pureed 1 c. strawberries makes about 1/2 cup.  Add 1/2 cup water to the 1/2 cup pureed strawberries; shake well.  Drizzle over your warm angel food cake and whipped topping.

xx.

val

double chocolate pizookie.

A pizookie is a pizza cookie- literally a warm, gooey, giant cookie with ice cream on top.  I made this yummy goodness healthier by using whole wheat flour and natural sucranat (natural, raw sugar cane) as opposed to processed white flour and sugar.  You can buy natural sucranat at whole foods stores or some farmers' markets.  It is more expensive, but also much better for you then refined sugars. 

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

1 c. butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 c. natural sucranat

1 t. vanilla

2 eggs, at room temperature

2/3 c. cocoa powder

3 T milk

2 c. chocolate chips

vanilla ice cream (suggested: Breyers)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Spray a 9" pie plate with cooking spray.  In a medium sized bowl, sift together dry ingredients.  In another bowl, combine 1 cup butter, 1 1/2 c. natural sucranat, 1 t. vanilla, 2 eggs and 2/3 cup cocoa powder.  Blend together thoroughly.  Mix in dry ingredients in shifts to the wet ingredients.  I found that I needed to add 3 T milk to finish blending dry ingredients.  When the mix is completely blended, stir in 2 cups chocolate chips.  Pour batter into pie plate.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Serve warm topped with vanilla ice cream :)      

xx.

val

cinnamon chips & fruit salsa.

A light and tasty dessert for your cinco de mayo celebration!

cinnamon chips- 

whole wheat tortillas 

2- 3 T butter, melted or cooking spray

3 t. sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

preheat oven to 350.  Combine 3 t. sugar to 1/2 t. cinnamon.  Cut each tortilla into 8 chips.  Brush your tortilla chips with melted butter (or spray with cooking spray).  Dust tortillas with cinnamon-sugar mixture.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.  

fruit salsa- 

I used pineapple, honeydew, cantaloupe, green grapes and strawberries.  But red grapes, green or red apples, kiwi, peaches, and banana are excellent fruit salsa options, too.  Choose your salsa ingredients.  Cut all fruit very small.  Squeeze 1 T lemon juice over the fruit and stir to mix.  Refrigerate fruit until ready to serve.  

Serve chilled fruit with warm chips.  

xx

val 

whole wheat oatmeal chocolate chip cookies.

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 to 2 1/2 cups oatmeal, food processed
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
12 oz. chocolate chips

Cream the butter, sugar and brown sugar.
Add eggs and vanilla. Mix.
Add flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder and baking soda.
Add chocolate chips.

Place balls of dough 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375.


emily.

first attempt at cake decorating.

So no real recipe here. My sister-in-law Tina and I have wanted to try cake decorating for a long time. Here's our first attempt playing with fondant. We had fun!





emily.

'little boy blue'berry cupcakes.

Anna and Matt recently found out they are going to have a little boy!  Francie and I made these cupcakes for Anna to celebrate the good news.

Basic Whole Wheat Cake (or Cupcake) Recipe:

1 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter, at room temperature

1/2 c. milk

2 eggs, at room temperature

2 t. vanilla extract

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour

2 t. baking powder

Cream together sugar and butter.  Add milk and eggs, one at a time, and beat well.  Beat in vanilla.  In another bowl, sift together whole wheat flour and baking powder.  Fluff your whole wheat flour before measuring.  Slowly add whole wheat flour mixture to wet ingredients.  Blend well.  Spray muffin tins or line tin with cupcake liners.  Fill each 3/4 of the way full.   Bake for 20 minutes at 350.  If making a cake, you will have to bake for longer.  In a 9 by 13 or 9 by 9 pans, try 30 minutes.  Let cake or cupcakes cool before icing.

Blueberry Frosting:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/2 c. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

2 (4 oz) packages fresh blueberries (or 8 to 12 oz frozen blueberries)

2-3 drops blue food coloring

Crush the fresh blueberries.  Beat together heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla.  You will need to beat until firm peaks form.  Fold in crushed berries.  Add a few drops food coloring to reach the shade of blue you desire.  Ice the cooled cupcakes.  

Garnish with fresh blueberries and a light dusting of powdered sugar.  

xx

val

smoothie.

So this is a smoothie I've made up from trial and error, the hubby and I often make this a healthy dessert alternative.

Combine ingredients in a blender. This is the one I usually make, but obviously you can substitute ingredients for different flavors. The one above is strawberry/blueberry.

Per person, blend:
-1 cup frozen strawberries
-1 cup nonfat yogurt, strawberry or strawberry/banana
-1/2+ cup skim milk (or orange juice, if you want a tangy flavor)
-can add 1/2 banana
-can add frozen or fresh blueberries or other berries

makes a tall glass of smoothie goodness!


emily.

carrot cake.

This recipe is one mom has made as long as I remember, it's from an old cookbook but I'm not sure which one. It's so moist and delicious! I am soon going to attempt to make this recipe whole wheat and healthier in the near future, so stay tuned! But for now here's the real deal:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 cups grated carrots (5-6 carrots)
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional- I omit!)
2 tsp. vanilla

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, soda, salt, and cinnamon in large bowl.
Add oil to flour mixture while mixing. Then add carrots and the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Mix well. Pour into greased and floured pan. Bake at 350 for 50 to 60 minutes. Cool in pan, frost.

Cream Cheese Frosting
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (1/2) stick butter, softened
2 cups confectioners sugar

Mix together. If you like to be generous with frosting, I suggest you double the recipe.



emily.

mini dessert pizzas.

Lori makes a great large dessert pizza which consists of a sugar cookie "pizza", cream cheese & cool whip "sauce", and fruit "toppings". I didn't put any sugar in these cookies though. Can't really call them a sugar cookie without the sugar, right?! Let's just call them Whole Wheat Honey Cookies. I'll have to make some adjustments before these Honey Cookies will be good all on their own. The combo of cookie, frosting and fruit was perfection though.

Whole Wheat Honey Cookies-

2 c. whole wheat flour

1 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3/4 c. honey

1/2 c. butter

2 T milk, or less*

1 t. vanilla

1 egg

*Since honey is a liquid, you might not need this much milk. Add milk last and only as much as necessary to blend ingredients.

Bring butter and egg to room temperature. In a bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Fluff the flour before measuring. In another bowl, combine honey, butter, vanilla and egg. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients 1 cup at a time. Add milk if necessary. Blend thoroughly. I found that refrigerating the dough for a few hours helps the cookies bake beautifully. But you can make them right away without refrigerating. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375. Roll dough into balls. Flatten the balls with the palm of your hand. Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 8 minutes. Let cool.

Variations: You can roll dough through cinnamon, sugar and nutmeg mixture before baking if desired. Either orange or lemon zest would be a great addition to the dough, too.

Cream Cheese & Cool Whip Frosting-

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz cool whip

1 t. vanilla extract

1 T honey

Blend ingredients thoroughly. If you add orange or lemon zest to the dough, add 2 t. to 1 T fresh orange or lemon juice to the frosting.

Fruit-

Cut any fruit into small pieces. Suggested: strawberries, blueberries, pineapple, nectarines, peaches, kiwi, banana, grapes, etc.

Assemble mini dessert pizzas - Frost the cooled whole wheat honey cookies with a thick layer of cream cheese & cool whip frosting. Top with chopped fruit pieces.

xx.

val