Truffles

I had to use the cream cheese before it expires. I found the recipe to make truffles and I have combined it with my method of making chocolate balls...
I don't think the kids going to like the strong dark chocolate taste in my version, but if you would like it sweeter then use semi-sweet chocolate.

2 1/2 pkg. semi-sweet chocolate, divided
1 pkg. cream cheese
1 pkg. of some very basic cheep cookies to crash into cramps
Melt 8 of the chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese in the bowl with the mixer until creamy. Add melted chocolate, mix well. Cover. Shape the mixture into the balls, place it on the baking sheet. Dip the truffles in the melted chocolate, coconut, candy or confession sugar.

Valentine's Day Cupcakes

Valentine's is coming tomorrow, but we have started yearly - on Friday baking the cupcakes.
Happy Valentine's everybody!

Poke Cupcakes

1 pkg. white cake mix

1 cup boiling water

1 pkg. Jell-O Jelly Powder (any red flavour)

1 tub Whipped topping, thawed

Red or Blue food colouring

Coloured sugar, sprinkles or any other type of decoration

Prepare cake batter and bake as directed on pkg. for cupcakes.
Cool in pans 10 min. Pierce tops with fork.

Stir boiling water into dry jelly powder until dissolved; spoon over cupcakes. Refrigerate 30 min. Remove from pans and decorate.

Walla!!! The easiest cupcake recipe I have ever done so far ;-)

Basic Butter Cookies with Jelly

The truth is I don't buy cookies in the store these days, knowing that home made once are so good. Plus we don't eat cookies all day long...really ;-) They are so rich in butter, that we end up eating 2 to 4 cookies a day. That includes the once I send to school with the kids for after lunch snack.
Funny, because when I was putting the kids to sleep today, my plan was to go and do some pilates in my room, but then I end up doing this! By the way I end up going to Hot (Super Duper Hot) Yoga class last week. And I have promised myself not to leave in the middle.... I didn't. It was very very hard, and not the poses but the heat just killed me. I crawled out of the yoga room, with my eyes half closed and my face as red as a tomato. I don't think anyone else looked like me in there. I came home without any energy, took a shower and still had a boiling blood in my head. So I end up with a headache in the evening that day. Is that a fun experience or what... now I am thinking should I try again or should I just give up and stick to my Pilates workouts?!!

From the book "Baking", by James Peterson.

Spiral-Patterned Sablee Cookies

Since that time, when I have borrowed the Baking book from the library... I keep making these tasty cookies. It took me a couple of times to figure the dough out. But now it is perfect. The kids love it and trying to help making them. So I have made enough to last for two weeks, some are in the freezer for later ;-)
By the way, I end up buying the book for my personal library.

From the book "BAKING", by James Peterson.

Empanadas Chilenas - ricooooo

Last night I had a thought to make empanadas for today's lunch. So Ricardo keeps calling me since morning to make sure I have not forgotten the promised empanadas. I have searched Chilean Empanadas online with (has to be) Chilean pino, which is the filling that goes inside. Since it will be different from Argentinian emapanadas and other countries that do make it as well. I have mixed the white flour with some whole wheat flour, that's why it has a different colour. Inside each circle shaped dough I have put a tbspn. of pino(grounded beef, cooked with onions and garlic, oil, 1/4 cup of beef bouillon and a bit of flour), and I have also have in each of empanadas a slice of cooked egg and the olive. It has to have some raisins as well but I have avoided them, because no one besides Ricardo eats them cooked ;-)) The raisins suppose to give a little sweet taste to the emapanadas.
Here is the link to the recipe: http://southamericanfood.about.com/od/snacksstreetfood/r/empanadaschile.htm

Lemon Bars

While the kids were playing outside in the backyard, I have decided to make this recipe of the Lemon Bars for Ricardo. I was told that since I have received the mixer, nothing was made a specially for him. Only for the kids (of course!). Like chocolate cake which he wouldn't touch... I have never made anything with lemon before, so it was an experience. I guess you could use the same lemon filling for the Lemon Pie. I'm not a big fan of the citrus taste, just because it gives me a weird feeling in the stomach, but Ricardo said it came out good. A little too brown.....something to remember for the next time.

From the book "BAKING", by James Peterson.

Fun Water

The other day I had borrowed this book from the library "Flat Belly Diet Cookbook", by Liz Vaccariello, which included the recipe of a drink that got my attention.

8 1/2 cups water
1 tspn. grated ginger
1 medium cucumber (peeled and sliced)
1 medium lemon
12 small spearmint leaves

Combined in a large pitcher and left overnight or just drink it right away.
I figured it tastes nice and it could replace my juice, which of course includes tons of sugar... plus it could be great for summer.