Sunday, May 20, 2012

Peanut butter, chocolate chip and marshmallow pizza

Today David and I were outside in the backyard since it was so beautiful out! We decided to do some weeding while out there, and once we came inside we were so hungry. I mean while out there we ate raw sliced carrots and drank water... but just needed something really sweet! I've been wanting to make something with marshmallows, peanut butter and chocolate chips and I found a recipe for a "pizza". I hope all of you with a craving for something similar try it out! You can add a bunch of different things for toppings (like nuts), so try it out simply and then play with it! Anyway, here goes!
Ingredients
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark or light brown sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups (about 12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

Step 1: Set oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 12 or 14 inch pizza pan.
Step 2: Put the flour, baking soda and baking powder in a medium mixing bowl. Mix lightly. Set the bowl aside.
Step 3: Put the butter, peanut butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and egg in a large mixing bowl. With the electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. With the mixer set to low speed, add the flour mixture and beat just until blended.
Step 4: Gather the dough into a rough ball and put it in the center of the greased pizza pan. Dust your hands with flour. With your hands, press the dough evenly over the bottom of the pan. With your fingers, pinch a little round rim around the edge of the circle. Bake until the crust is just beginning to brown, 8 to 12 minutes. Put a cooling rack on your counter, and put the pan on it.
Step 5: Sprinkle the marshmallows over the crust, and the chocolate chips over the marshmallows. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the marshmallows are puffy and lightly browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and put it on the rack.
Let the pizza cool until the chocolate is firm, about 3 hours. With a pizza cutter, cut the pizza into about 20 wedges. Makes 1 pizza. 

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

So today I was baking for Mother's Day (tomorrow) and I had been wanting to make sugar cookies. I found a recipe in Better Home & Gardens: The Ultimate Cookie Book called Sugar Cookie Star Cutouts. Now as you can see I did not make stars, but they came out soft and delicious! I made a change to the recipe on the request of my boyfriend and the fact that I didn't have shortening in the house or enough butter to use instead of shortening. Instead I put a bit of extra butter into the mix as well as some sour cream. Please buy the book for the original recipe (on page 129) :)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
Dash of salt
1 egg
1/4 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour

Step 1:
In a medium mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds.Add the sugar, baking powder and salt. Beat until combined.

Step 2:
Beat in egg, sour cream, and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with the mixer, then stir in any remaining flour.

Cover and chill dough for about 1 hour.

Step 3:Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. On a floured surface, roll half the dough at a time, until 1/4" thick. Using your cookie cutter (I used round, but whatever serves your purpose), cut out your dough. Place cutouts on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges are firm and bottoms are very light brown. Let stand for 1 minute and then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Once cool, decorate to your desire!

Friday, May 11, 2012

New BiKa Delivery

I'm back to tell you about our newest delivery of BiKa pieces!

The first piece is a simple puff sleeve blouse with a peter pan collar. It is 100% cotton. The fabric is light for those hot days and has an imprinted stripe pattern. It is very simple and can go with any BiKa piece! We are selling this item for $20!


Our other new piece is the puff shorts. They are made of 100% cotton, the fabric is like a light-weight denim. The elastic waist and legs make dressing easy! The bow on the back is perfect for all of the tiny fashionistas, while the puff shorts could hide the fact that your 2 year old may still be wearing diapers (don't worry, we won't tell!). This item is also sold for $20, but is only available at this time in size 2 and 3.

We have also been informed that Project Kids will be holding a sale sometime soon. While the rest of the store (pre-loved items) will be 50% off, our BiKa line will be 25% off (any BiKa item, new or old)! Make sure to keep checking the Project Kids Facebook Page for when the sale will be!

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Chewy Chocolate Brownies

I love making brownies. They are simple, fast and make everyone happy! This recipe is similar to the one my mother makes, but uses more sugar and less flour, and a bit of salt to make it that much tastier!

I find that in order to make cutting the brownies easier, you should run your knife along the edge of the pan soon after removing the brownies from the oven or it may be stiff after.

I hope you enjoy this recipe! Would love to hear any suggestions or ways to play with this recipe! :)
Chewy Chocolate Brownies
Ingredients:
Dry Ingredient Mixture
3/4 Cup Flour
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt 
"Wet" Ingredient Mixture
1/3 Cup Butter + 2 Tablespoon Butter (remove 2 tbsp if using baker`s chocolate)
6 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
2 Eggs (lightly beaten)
1/2 Teaspoon Salt 
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and grease a 9x9" pan.
Step 2: In a bowl, mix together the "dry ingredients" and set aside.
Step 3: In a saucepan (or doubleboiler if you are using baker's chocolate), over medium to high heat, melt the butter. Then mix in the cocoa and remove from heat.
Step 4: Add beaten eggs and vanilla to the chocolate-butter mixture, and mix until smooth (try to make sure the egg doesn't cook in the hot mixture).
Step 5: Mix the "dry mixture" with the "wet mixture" until it is well blended. Pour mixture into your pan and place in the oven for about 25 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center).

Makes about 35 brownies.
 

Friday, May 4, 2012

BiKa's New Website

Today I set up BiKa's new website. At the moment it just has photos and locations. I hope to be able to add more items soon. Check it out! :)