Homemade Funnel Cake

It's Clark County Fair time,

here in Nevada!

Nothing better that indulging in all

the fun, fried, Fair food.

One of my all time favorite Fair

treats has always been the

Funnel Cake!

I would always ask for extra

powdered sugar and caramel sauce...YUM!

So of course I had to come up with

an easy "at home" version for these

sinfully dessert's.

Homemade Funnel Cake

2 2/3 C. Flour

4 TBSP. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Soda

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 Egg's~ lightly beaten

1 1/2 C. Milk

*Oil for frying

*Toppings of your choice

*Funnel

Using a hand held mixer combine all

the ingredients together until smooth.

Heat your oil in a large skillet.

Holding the funnel in one hand,

pour the batter through funnel into the

hot oil while making a spiral motion.

You will want the batter to overlap to help

hold it into one large piece.

Fry until golden brown on each side.

Drain cake on paper towel.

Serve warm with your desired

topping's. Then dig in!

Making Memories,

Lark

Mandarin Orange Cookies

Lately I have been on a citrus kick.

I love the tangy, sweet, tart flavor

from all the citrus fruit.

I wanted to come up with a cookie

you could make by using canned fruit.

These Mandarin Orange Cookies

are sure to become a favorite!

Mandarin Orange Cookies

1(11oz.) Mandarin Orange's~ blended

1 C. Butter Flavor Shortening

2 C. Sugar

1 C. Milk

4 C. Flour

2 tsp. Orange zest

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Salt

1 tsp. Orange Extract

Orange Citrus Icing

6 C. Powdered Sugar

2 tsp. Butter~ melted

1 tsp. Orange Extract

2 tsp. Lemon Juice

Preheat oven to 350

Cream together shortening and sugar

until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add in the mandarin puree and milk, mix.

 Add in remaining ingredients.

Drop by spoonfuls onto a well greased

baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.

While cookies are baking beat together

all the icing ingredients until smooth.

 Make sure you let the cookies cool

on rack completely before "dipping"

each cooking into the icing.

Store in an air tight container, with

wax paper between layers.

HAPPY BAKING,

LARK

Secret Ingredient Brownies

If you dont tell 'em, they will never know!
At least as far as these brownies go.
Give them a try I promise you that everyone
will love the fudgy chewiness of them,
and go back for more! ;)

*adapted from Basilmomma.com recipe*

Black Bean Brownies

• 3/4 C.  Black Beans
• 1/2 C. Oil or Applesauce
• 2 Eggs
• 1/4 C.  Cocoa powder
• 3/4 C. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Chocolate Extract
• 1 tsp. Vanilla 
• 1/2 C. Mini Chocolate Chips~divided
• 1/3 C. Flour
• 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt (unless you are using canned)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9-inch square baking pan.

In a blender, puree the beans with the oil. Add the eggs, cocoa, sugar, extract, and vanilla. Melt half the chocolate chips and add to the blender. Blend on medium-high until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the blender and pulse until just incorporated. Stir in the remaining chocolate chips. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake until the surface looks somewhat matte around the edges and still a bit shiny in the middle, about 20 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before cutting and removing from the pan. 

Dust with powdered sugar and serve

Enjoy!
Lark

Apple Cranberry Baked Brie

As the Holiday party invitations

start to arrive at your door, 

in the mail, through office emails...

you might be wondering what dish

you can take to "WOW" your host's.

I have taken the worry out of the mix for you

with this simple yet elegant appetizer.

I also wanted to share in this post;

  this Handmade Ceramic Platter/Side Baker

 made from the very talented hands of

Lori Richter of Clay Dancer Studio. 

A few months ago I had asked via My Face Book

page if there were anyone interested in a "trade".

By that I mean they would send me a product

they would like to see being used in one of my 

recipes. It could be anything from spices to platters.

Well Lori was more than generous in sending me

this amazing, beautiful platter/side baker.

*Oven, Microwave safe!*

 *This photo does not do these items justice!

The color's and a bright tangerine, kings gold yellow

with a cream/brown accents.

If you are interested in seeing more of Lori's

divine ceramic pieces. Or would like to purchase

a handmade special gift for yourself or a friend,

**GO HERE~ Clay Dancer Studio**

Thank you so much Lori for giving this

set to me, I will cherish for many years.

Apple Cranberry Baked Brie

8 oz. Brie

1/2 C. Whole Cranberry Sauce*

1 Granny Smith Apple~ peeled, shredded

1/3 Brown Sugar

1/8 tsp. Nutmeg

1/8 tsp. Cinnamon

1 (9"inch) Pre-made Pie Crust or Puff Pastry

cinnamon/sugar~ Optional

Preheat oven to 350

Mix the cranberry sauce, apple,brown sugar

nutmeg, cinnamon together.

Lay out your round of pastry dough,

place the brie in the center.

Top with the fruit mixture.

Fold up edges of dough, pinch to seal

edges. If you want you can make

a egg wash and brush with over to

help seal dough. It will also give your crust

a nice golden brown.

Then if you choose to add the cinnamon/sugar 

sprinkle it over the top. Place brie into a

"tight" fitting or about the same size

 baking dish to bake. 

Bake for 20-30 minutes.

After baking let the brie sit for at least

 10 minutes to allow the cheese to firm up a little.

Serve with Bread, crackers or fruit.

*I used my Homemade Orange Cranberry Sauce

Happy Holiday!

Lark

My Country Cranberry Coffee Cake

I finally created my FAVORITE

recipe for a MOIST Coffee Cake!

Yup, It took me a couple of tries to make

it to my expectations....Well worth it!

This is super moist, even a couple day's

out...if you can stay away from it

for that amount of time ;)

I have made this using cranberries

as well as blueberries, either way is DIVINE!

(I even made one using both!)

Country Cranberry Coffee Cake

2 Egg's

2 C. Sugar

1 Stick Unsalted Butter

1 tsp. Almond extract

1 tsp. Salt

4 TBSP. Milk

Dash of Cinnamon

Zest of 1 Lemon

2 1/4 C. All Purpose Flour

2 C. Fresh or Frozen Cranberries

Preheat oven to 350
Cream together the sugar and butter for
3 minutes, then add in the egg's one at a time.
Beat until smooth, while mixing add the 
salt, extract, zest, cinnamon and milk.
In a Zip lock bag add 1/4 C. flour and the berries.
Shake to coat all the berries, set aside.
Add the 2 C. Flour to the batter, mix well.
Fold Coated Berries into batter.
Evenly spread batter into a 10" spring form
pan that has been greased.
(I like to sprinkle the top with a mixture of 
Cinnamon/Sugar)

Bake for 1 hour. Test to make sure center is done
with a toothpick. Let cool on a wire rack
until completely cooled before cutting.
Store in a covered cake pedestal.

ENJOY!
Lark

Gooey Peanut Butter Bar's

Peanut Butter Lover's Unite!

YUP, this is a Peanut Butter Lover's

dream dessert! 

These bar's are sweet, gooey goodness.

Using a box cake mix, helps to keep 

prep time to a minimum, without

taking anything away from the flavor.

Once you taste these divine bars,

you will be making these many times 

in the future I am sure.

Gooey Peanut Butter Bar's

1(18.25 oz) Yellow Cake Mix

2 Eggland's Best Egg's

1 C. Creamy Peanut Butter

1 Stick Butter~ melted

1 (14oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk

1(10 oz.)Pkg. Peanut Butter Chips

Preheat oven to 350

In a large mixing bowl combine

the cake mix, eggs,peanut butter

and melted butter. Mix until well

combined. Press half of the mixture into

the bottom of a 9x13" pan.

Bake for 12 minutes.

Sprinkle the peanut butter chips over

the warm "crust", then pour the 

condensed milk over the chips.

Crumble the remaining dough

evenly over the milk. 

Bake for 30-35 minutes

Let cool in the pan before cutting.

Gooey Goodness,

Lark

Pumpkin Spice Angel Food Cake French Toast

Shut the front door and call your Momma!

Yup, THIS is the recipe you are going be talking

about to everyone you meet!

It is slightly sweet, with a smooth

pumpkin spice flare. Sure to make any

breakfast into a divine experience.

I created this recipe in hopes to use up 

some extra pumpkin I had left over.

This recipe is enough to transform 

1 (12" inch round) Angel Food Cake

into 16 Slices of breakfast bliss.

Pumpkin Spice Angel Food Cake French Toast

1 Angel Food Cake Mix

~* the kind that has 2 packet's (Cake Flour and Egg Whites)

2 tsp. Pumpkin Spice~ divided

4 Egglands Best Egg's

1/2 C. Milk

1/2 C. Pumpkin

1 tsp. Vanilla

3 TBSP. Brown Sugar

Make your Angel Food Cake as directed

on the box. Adding in 1 tsp. pumpkin spice to the batter.

*You can use a store bought cake also*

Let Cake Cool completely. I made the cake in

the evening, let cool overnight then finished

the recipe in the morning.

You can make your slice as big as you want,

I cut mine into 16 slices.

Mix the remaining ingredients together.

I then placed the "batter" in a shallow 

pan, to make it easier to dip the cake into.

Lay each piece into the batter, repeat

dipping each side of cake.

Then place onto a lightly sprayed skillet

to cook. It doesn't take long at all,

only about 1-2 minutes on each side.

Don't they look sinful?

Plate them up and serve with your 

favorite syrup. We liked ours

best with my Homemade Vanilla Cream Syrup

Great served for Breakfast OR Dessert,

Lark

Nutella filled Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

Oh My Flipping Heck are these little

gems dangerous! You can make them 

with or without the Nutella, the choice is yours!

You can coat them with Cinn./Sugar.

Or some Cinnamon Powdered Sugar.

 ALL of them are so addicting, you cant just each one.

Believe me I tried!

Pumpkin Spice Doughnuts

3 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

1 C. Sugar

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 tsp. Pumpkin Spice

1/2 tsp. Salt

2 Lg. Eggland's Best Eggs~ beaten

1 C. Sour Cream

1 C. Pumpkin

Oil for Frying

Cinnamon/Sugar

Powdered Sugar

Nutella

Sift the first 7 ingredients together.

Add in the beaten eggs, sour cream and pumpkin.

Mix until smooth. Cover and let batter chill for

1 hour or over night.

Heat oil in a deep pan.

Using a small cookie scoop drop batter into

the hot oil.  Do not over crowd, I cooked 6 at a time.

These will need to cook for about

3 minutes, moving them over to fry evenly.

Make sure they are cooked all the way 

through the center by poking a toothpick 

in them. Have your Cinnamon/Sugar 

or powdered sugar mixture 

ready for the hot doughnuts to 

be dropped into. 

*I like to place the sugar mixture into

a paper sack, then I just drop the hot

doughnuts in and shake.

Now to fill them with Nutella, all you

need to do is fill a piping bag

with a med. sized round tip with Nutella.

after the coated doughnuts have

cooled for a few minutes, take a small

knife and just poke the tip of the knife

in to start your "hole".

Then pipe the filling in. Easy Peasy!

Depending on the size you make yours, 

this recipe makes 2-3 dozen.

Happy Baking,

Lark

Pumpkin Waffles w/ Homemade Vanilla Cream Syrup

Nothing better than waking up to 

Homemade Waffles....unless it is 

Homemade Pumpkin Waffles!

Then top them off with my 

Homemade Vanilla Cream Syrup,

and you have moved into BLISS!

Pumpkin Waffles

2 C. Self Rising Flour

4 TBSP. Brown Sugar

1 TBSP. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 3/4 C. Milk

1 C. Pumpkin Puree

2 Egg Yolks~ reserve whites

2 TBSP. Butter~melted

Lark's Vanilla Cream Syrup

1 1/2 C. Butter

3 C. heavy Whipping Cream

6 TBSP. All Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

2 tsp. Vanilla

1 C. Sugar

For the Waffles:

Sift together the first 5 ingredients.

In a separate bowl whisk together the 

egg yolk's, pumpkin, butter and milk.

Next take the reserved egg white's and 

beat them together until fluffy and stiff.

Now stir together the dry ingredients

with the pumpkin mixture.

Fold in the stiff egg whites.

Cook on your hot waffle iron

according to it's directions.

* You can also stir in 1.4 C. Mini-Chocolate chips

into the batter.

For the Vanilla Cream Syrup:

In a Medium sized sauce pan melt the 

butter along with the flour, on med. heat.

Stirring for about 3-4 minutes. DO NOT burn!

Add in the remaining ingredients,reduce heat. 

Stir until syrup is thick and warmed through.

* This will keep in the fridge for 3 wks*

Fall flavors at it's finest,

Lark

Crumb Topped Coffee Cake

I have been working on this recipe for over 6 months,

I am NOT kidding you!  I think I have made this

recipe more than I want to admit! (lol)

(I am thinking around 10 times!)

 I just kept thinking it was missing something.

So I am very happy to share with you the 

FINALLY approved version!

I hope you will enjoy it along side your

morning Hot chocolate or Coffee soon.

Crumb Topped Coffee Cake

Cake Batter:

2 C. All Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Salt

2/3 C. Brown Sugar

3/4 C. Sugar

3 Eggland's Best Eggs

3 TBSP. Oil

1 1/2 C. Sour Cream

Crumb Topping:

1/2 C. Brown Sugar

1/2 C. Quick Rolled Oats~Blended

1/3 C. All Purpose Flour

1 tsp. Cinnamon

3 TBSP. Butter~cold

*1/3 C. chopped nuts~* optional

Preheat oven to 350

Start by sifting the flour,baking powder,

baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar's.

To the sifted ingredients stir in the egg's,

oil and sour cream. Beat until smooth.

Pour this into a lightly greased 9x13 pan.

Set aside and proceed to make the topping.

In a bowl combine all  dry ingredients,

dice the cold butter and cut into mixture.

You want a mixture of sized crumbs.

Sprinkle 3/4 of the crumbs over the batter.

Reserving the 1/4 left over for later.

Bake for 35 minutes or until cake is cooked

all the way through the center.

Remove from oven, sprinkle the remaining

topping over the cake.

 Lightly press topping into the baked cake.

Let cake cool completely before cutting.

Perfect for crisp mornings,

Lark

Caramel Apple Mini Bundt Cake

What a great pairing Caramel

and Apple's make together.

Tart, tangy and sweet....what's not to love?

It took me 2 tries to get these 

just right to share with you.

I am glad I decided to make a few changes

because these are DIVINE!!!

*This made 6 Mini Bundt cakes, you may make this

recipe into a bundt, 9x13, or 2~ 8" round's*

Caramel Apple Mini Bundt Cake

1 (18.5 oz.) Yellow Cake Mix

1 C. Apple Butter

1 Lg. Granny Smith Apple~ diced

2 Eggland's Best Eggs

1 tsp. Apple Pie Spice

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1 C. My Homemade Caramel Dip~divided

* or Caramel Ice Cream Topping

Preheat oven to 350

In a mixing bowl combine the cake mix,

apple butter, apple, eggs, spices.

Then stir in 1/2 C. of the caramel dip.

This will be a thick batter.

Pour into lightly greased bundt pans.

Bake for 35-38 minutes, until the center is 

cooked all the way through.

Let cakes cool on wire rack IN the pan.

Once they have been cooled, flip out of pans

and drizzle the remaining caramel dip

over each of the cake.

Delightfully Divine,

Lark

Zucchini Raspberry Bread w/ Lemon Glaze

I am being over run by fresh Zucchini.

Anyone who gardens knows that this is

the easiest veggie to grow! So why do I 

always plant (year after year) more 

plants than I need? ha, ha...

I think it is because after a long 

Winter & Spring I cant wait to eat the 

fresh from the garden squash.

At least that is what I am saying ;)

With a basket full of zucchini sitting

on my kitchen island I needed to use,

I thought might as well  make more

zucchini bread. Knowing I could always

give it away to neighbors.   

(I sometimes wonder if my neighbors ever

want to hide and not answer the

door when I start coming around...)

Anyhow...I wanted to make it a

little different, while looking through the

 freezer I came across some fresh raspberries

I had frozen earlier in the season. ..why not?!

It was a hit!

This bread is already very moist,

then add in all those fresh berries

and it is a whole different level of Moistness!

Zucchini Raspberry Bread w/ Lemon Glaze

6 Eggland's Best Egg's

4 C. Sugar

1 C. Oil

1 C. Applesauce

2 tsp. Vanilla

2 tsp. Salt

2 tsp. Baking Soda

3 tsp. Cinnamon

1/2 C. Apple Cider or Orange juice

6 1/2 C. All Purpose Flour

4 C. Shredded Zucchini

1 C. Fresh or Frozen Raspberries

*1 C. Chopped Nuts~ * Optional

Lemon Glaze

2 C. Powdered Sugar

1/2 C. Lemon Juice

Preheat Oven to 350

In a large mixing bowl combine the first 9

ingredients until smooth.  Toss the raspberries in

2 TBSP of the flour. set aside.

Add in the flour and zucchini, and nut's is desire.

Fold in the coated berries.

Divide the batter into (4) loaf pans.

Bake for 60-70 Minutes.

Glaze hot loaves with Lemon Glaze.

Cool completely before removing from pan.

Reap what you Sew,

Lark

3 Ingredient Brownie's (healthier option)

Now if you are thinking you will be
able to pass these off to your
kids (as well as yourself),
as tasting just like those
fully loaded calorie
brownies...think again.
Sorry, just being honest with you.
They are good, just not the same .
My family described them as
having a "rubbery' texture.
Not really chewy, and not cakey either.
I know,...very informative! (lol)

3 Ingredient Brownie's
1 (19.5oz.) Boxed Brownie Mix
1 C. Applesauce
1/2 C. Pumpkin Puree

Preheat oven to 350
Combine all 3 ingredient's together
in a mixing bowl until well blended
and smooth. Pour into a lightly sprayed
9x9 pan, spread evenly. 
Bake for 25-28 Minutes.
Let  cool completely before frosting 
if desired. 
Pretty simple wouldn't you say?
Next time I am going to try another
batch with adding my homemade 
Apple Butter instead, see if it will
change the texture?
Like I said they aren't the 
chewy gooey brownies your use to
however they aren't loaded with
all the fat and calories either.
What do you think? Are the calories worth it?
Lark

Applesauce Pancakes

With cooler weather coming on I

get in the mood to wake up early in

the morning, throw open the windows

and start cooking in the kitchen.

Of course all of this is to the 

approval of my family...ha, ha. 

With all the apples I had on

hand this past week, I wanted to 

make a special breakfast for them

to wake up to Sunday morning.

These are so smooth, super moist,

with just a hint of apple spice.

They loved them!

Applesauce Pancakes

2 C. Flour

2/3 C. Brown Sugar

1 TBSP. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice

1 tsp. Vanilla

1 1/4 C. Milk

2 Eggland's Best Egg's

3/4 C. Applesauce

2 tsp. Oil

Sift together first 5 ingredients.

Add remaining ingredients to dry and mix well.

Pour onto a sprayed hot griddle.

Cook for 2 minutes or until bubbles form

then flip. Serve warm with syrup.

To Cooler Mornings,

Lark