For Janette

We were in charge of dessert for our family Easter picnic, and it was a completely gorgeous day out, so I thought something cool and easy was in order. I settled comfortably on Jell-O pretzel salad. I know it sounds like an odd combo if you've never had it before, but my husband (who was wary at first) was fighting my Mom last night for the leftovers! I think it's the perfect combination of sweet and salty.

I have a friend who is completely crazy for all things Jell-O, and I think my inspiration for dessert might be partly to blame because of the awesome Jelly article she had up on her blog. So this one's for you Janette! *MWAH!*

Strawberry Jell-O Pretzel Salad

2 cups crushed pretzels (crush them up to wee chunky bits, and measure them after crushing)
3 tablespoons sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 (8 ounce) tub whipped topping (aka cool whip) thawed**
1 (6 ounce) package of strawberry Jell-O*
1 (16 ounce) bag frozen strawberries, or 16 ounces fresh sliced strawberries
1 small can crushed pineapple (optional)

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
~Mix together the pretzels, sugar and melted butter. Pour into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
~Bake for 7 minutes.
~Remove from oven and let cool completely.
~Once the pretzel crust has cooled, mix the cream cheese and sugar together, then fold in the whipped topping until completely combined.
~Spread this mixture over the pretzel crust. Cover the pan and put in the fridge.
~In a bowl, mix together 2 cups boiling water with the Jell-O until completely dissolved (about 2 minutes).
~Chop the frozen strawberries (I put mine in the blender until they're coarse chunks) or slice fresh strawberries. Put them in the Jell-O. Add pineapple if desired.
~Put the Jell-O Mixture in the fridge until thickened, but not set. Pour the Jell-O mixture over the cream cheese layer.
~Refrigerate until set, about 2 hours. Top with additional whipped topping if desired.

Serves 12.

*Feel free to change Jell-O flavors to your liking. I think that lime with pineapple would be tasty. Or orange with mandarins! BigScottishJerk.com also brought up the fact that a chocolate pudding type topping might be completely awesome. I think he might be very right.
**I know I have friends who can't do the cool-whip. I'm sure you could substitute 2 cups of heavy whipped cream in lieu of this.

Easter DIY

I was up until 3 in the morning making peanut butter, coconut cream and buttercream eggs. They came out beautiful, but I am so...very...tired...

The eggs are not hard to make at all, but they are time consuming. (Especially if you're like me and think you're oh-so-smart by using white chocolate for piping, which I had to keep re-heating, because it doesn't pipe so good when it gets cold.) So plan to spend at least 3 hours or so on one flavor. If your kids are old enough they could help, if not, send them somewhere that is not your kitchen. Also, investing in some disposable vinyl gloves is not a bad idea. :)

Each recipe makes about 20-30 eggs, depending on the size you make them.

Peanut Butter Eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 bags chocolate chips

~In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese.
~Add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until all is mixed in. (It's easiest if you use your ultra clean hands and just squish it together...again, get some gloves!)
~Add the vanilla, salt and peanut butter and mix well. (Hands are easiest.)
~Put the dough in the freezer for about a half hour, or until firm.
~Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Shape the dough into egg shapes, cover with plastic wrap and return them to the freezer until firm.
~Melt chocolate in a double boiler (aka a glass bowl set over a pan of gently simmering water).
~Quickly dip the bottoms of the eggs and set on wax paper set on a cookie sheet. Use a metal spatula or knife to spread chocolate over the tops and sides of the eggs.
~Put eggs in fridge until chocolate is set. Carefully pull the hard eggs off the wax paper. Put each egg in a paper baking cup.
~Pipe names on top if desired.

Coconut Cream Eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) bag shredded coconut
2 bags chocolate chips

~Cream butter and cream cheese in a large bowl.
~Add in powdered sugar.
~Mix in vanilla and salt.
~Mix in coconut.
~Follow remaining instructions as above.

Buttercream Eggs

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt
2 bags chocolate chips

~Same as coconut cream instructions, minus the coconut.

Christmas Cookies & Holiday Hearts

That's the way the holiday...ends? Christmas is over. But New Year's isn't! And anytime is a good time for sugar cookies.

These are an exceptionally nice cookie for decorating, because they don't spread much at all and the dough is easy to work with. In fact, I just made some today for my daughter to share on her playdate. Because we were short on time we just sprinkled the dough with colored sugar before baking and then piped them with a little melted white chocolate. They turned out pretty cute, don't you think?

Because these have cream cheese in the dough, they have a really nice flavor...but a much better flavor on the next day, if they last that long!

Cream Cheese Cut Out Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter, softened
3 ounces of cream cheese (small package)
1 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 and 1/2 cups flour

-Cream butter and cream cheese, then add the sugar, egg yolk and vanilla.
-Add the flour last and mix well.
-Chill the dough for 2 hours or overnight.
-Roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes.
-Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies begin to lightly brown on the bottom.
-Cool and decorate.

Small Potatoes

I wanted to make something quick, cute and easy for St. Patrick's Day. And something that wasn't green. I mean, SO obvious! :) Whilst searching through several recipes I came upon one for Irish Potatoes candy. I had all the ingredients on hand and they were no-bake so I thought well, even if they're bad I guess it's not a huge waste of time.

I was a bit skeptical that they would turn out cute or tasty, but was pleasantly surprised when they were both! I couldn't stop gushing over their cuteness. Or their teeny tiny-ness. Or their tastiness! What a fun idea!

What a great excuse to get your kids in the kitchen. This has family time written all over it.

And just in case you were wondering, no, they don't contain any actual potato.

Irish Potatoes Candy

1/4 cup softened butter (1/2 stick)
4 ounces regular cream cheese, softened (not reduced fat, low fat or whipped)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
2 and 1/2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
cinnamon

-In a large bowl cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
-Add vanilla and powdered sugar.
-Beat until mixture forms a ball.
-Stir in coconut with a spoon.
-Roll the mixture in your hands to form small potato shaped candies or small balls (the less smooth you make them the more real they look!)
-Put cinnamon in a plastic bag. Add two or three "potatoes" at a time and shake until coated.
-Place finished potatoes on a cookie sheet and chill for 1 hour or until firm.
-If you prefer "dirtier potatoes" you can roll the candy in cinnamon a second time after they've chilled.
-You can also dip these in chocolate for Easter eggs. (Someone also wrote that they used Nestle Quik powder to coat their potatoes, but I haven't tried this...let me know if someone does and if they're good!)

Makes about 3-4 dozen, depending on size.

**I bought my decorative chocolate Leprachauns and coins at See's Candies.**