Apple Cake

This time of year always brings me back in time. 

A time growing up in the north with all the beautiful trees turning colors. Hometown football games and family get togethers. We use to go to the pumpkin patch where they made cinnamon donuts and pressed harvested apples for homemade apple cider. The smell of apples and cinnamon in the air was to die for. Funny how smells are so relevant to memories. 

I also remember going on one of my dad's famous mystery rides to a farm one year where we purchased bushels of McIntosh apples. My mom baked apple pies, apple fritters, apple crumb, baked apples and whatever else she could come up with. We never got sick of them.

So the first cool day of the year, I wanted to do something with apples. Bring back those wonderful aromas and memories. Apple cake sounded perfect.

I love this made from scratch cake. I used McIntosh Apples of course!

This apple cake will be great all season. I have attached the recipe for you to try. 

Warning: this is a very rich cake but you will love it.

Be sure to pin the recipe to keep for later!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

Can you smell the cinnamon in the air?

My favorite time of the year is fall. As soon as the air gets cooler, my oven goes on bake.

Sometimes I make pretty decorated cookies and other times I make the old tried and true ones.

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Cookies

One thing in common....they are delicious!

Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

Spent a lot of time this week on things that sucked up my time! For some reason my blog was acting up probably my fault  and my page was all wonky. I have been working on an idea for my Valentine's Day mantle which will probably be a fail post! Does this ever happen to you?

Sometimes I think to hard! I get tired of seeing the same things. So I want to try and think outside the box but it can become an epic fail!

Do I quit?

....................................... Heck no!

I will keep on keeping on with the hopes of discovering something I really love, like when I created my Dessert Tray Chandelier, my Fabulous Fan or even my Bird Wall Art.

or.....my favorite....my Audrey Hepburn Dresser!

So you see it is worth the time spent and even the failed projects if you get that one thing that is your Ah-Ha Moment!! Whether you get featured or not. As long as it satisfies you!

Today will be one of those days.......trying to finish projects......and hoping to satisfy that creative itch.

In the meantime I will leave you with this new recipe that I tried. I actually baked something I pinned from my Pinterest board Good Eats. This delicious recipe from Just Baked click for recipe.

Hope you try it. I would love for you to follow me on Pinterest too!

The key to this cake is,,,,,,,do not overcook and.....

make sure you swirl the cream cheese in the batter so it is distributed throughout the cake.

My family loved this recipe. It is a keeper!

Hope you have a wonderfully creative day!

Snowy Meltaway Cookies

One of my traditions of Christmas is baking cookies. I usually try to bake twelve or thirteen different varieties. They later get put in trays to give as gifts. I have so many favorites but this one ranks as one of the best. When I was asked to participate in the Homemade Holiday Treat Blog Event, this was the cookie I wanted you all to see and try.

They are bite sized buttery goodness. They taste as good as they look! They are rich and melt in your mouth and they look pretty on a tray or plate too!

So, is your mouth watering yet?

Here are they ingredients you will need:

cookie

2 sticks butter softened

3/4 cup corn starch

1/3 cup powder sugar

1 cup flour

icing

6oz cream cheese

11/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

non perrels or sprinkles optional

Did you notice? NO eggs!

Combine the cookie ingredients together

I used my food processor but you could use a mixer.

Combine till mixture gathers to a ball

Pinch off dough and form a ball and place on cookie tray

This recipe yields 24 cookies. You can also double this.

Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes

Cool cookies completely. They will be very delicate.

Mix together icing ingredients. I used a bag and piped the icing but you can spread it on top with a knife also. The piping is neater.

This cookie doesn't need anything else, but to make it festive I added a little bit of non perrels.

Yummy! Enjoy!

Now Please go check out all the other wonderful desserts!
Just click on the desserts below!

Baking Utensil Organizer

 I don't have a lot of cabinets and drawers in my kitchen. This means I have got to be organized and make sure I keep only the things I need and use.

 I don't like plastic organizers for my utensils. Last year I came up with an idea using paint sticks for my silverware. Since then that post "Utensil Organizer" continues to be the most viewed post I have ever done. Funny really. It was free and easy! ...and I used PAINTSTICKS!!!

Since that post I have learned some things. So I decided to create a new improved one for my Baking Utensils. I love the way everything has a place. I don't mind if anyone sees my drawers now. Hee Hee!

I started out with my free paintsticks that I collect from hardware stores. I like the big ones.

I painted them to add some color to the inside. I can always change this if I like a different color. The glory of paint!

Then I gathered all the baking utensils that I use most often. I placed them where I wanted them to go inside the drawer. Then I measured for placement of the paint sticks.

I wanted all my measuring cups and spoons in one area. So I used the biggest cup and lined it up where I wanted to put the stick.

I measured and and mark where to cut with my hand saw.

I only needed to make a few cuts then I glued them with monkey glue. NOTE: I used hot glue with my utensil organizer but after time I would have to re-glue so I went to the monkey glue. I also decided to glue the whole structure into the drawer for more stability.

Looking in through the back of drawer. All pieces connected.

I added a tea cup for the tiny pieces to stay in place like my cake decorating tips.

Then I added the rest of the baking utensils to the drawer.

This is definitely the new and improved organizer! I love the color and how it all fits perfectly!

I have the prettiest drawers in town! Pun intended! :)

What do you think?