GRASSHOPPER CUPCAKES

Ingredients:

• 1 box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge cake mix

To make the cake mix you will need

• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/3 cup water
• 3 eggs
• 1 bag of individual mints, like thin mints or peppermint patty, approximately 30-40, unwrapped
• 1 can pre-made white frosting, butter cream or cream cheese
• Green food coloring or sprinkles
• Peppermint extract for icing, if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Use cupcake liners for regular sized cupcakes. Prepare the cake mix as indicated on the box. Only fill the cupcakes to about 2/3 full. Place a mint in the middle of each cup then spoon a little more batter over the mint.

Bake for approximately 20 minutes. Test by pressing down lightly on the cupcake top. If it springs back up it is done. The toothpick test won’t work because the center is gooey from the melted mint. Cool the cupcakes completely before icing.

For the frosting, you can use as is and sprinkle with green colored sugar. Or mix green food coloring and a drop of peppermint extract to taste. Ice the cupcakes when they are cool. Cut the remaining mints in half and garnish the top of the cupcake with the mint.

SUNFLOWER SEED BRITTLE

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 cups sugar*
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1-1/2 cups raw or roasted sunflower kernels
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

*Healthy Option: unrefined sugar (Sucanat or Rapadura)

You must have a candy thermometer in order to do this recipe. If you don’t get the temperature right, the brittle won’t set up correctly.

• You will need a large heavy saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and with the tablespoon of butter grease the sides of the pan. Add sugar, corn syrup and water; bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until the candy thermometer reads 260° (hard-ball stage).
• Stir in sunflower kernels and butter. Continue to stir and cook on medium to 300° (hard-crack stage).
• Remove from the heat; vigorously stir in vanilla and baking soda to the mixture in the pan.
• Pour into a large buttered pan or cookie sheet with sides. Spread evenly about a quarter inch thick.
• Once the brittle is cooled, break into pieces. Store in an airtight container.

Yogurt Popsicles with Fruit

MAKES 4

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 cup fresh or frozen fruit of your choice (blueberries, cherries, strawberries, use your imagination.) Let the frozen fruit thaw just a bit before making the pops

Put these ingredients in a blender. Blend them to the consistency you want from chucky to smooth.

Divide the blended mixture among 4 paper cups, 5 ounce size. (You can use commercial Popsicle molds if you prefer, but you will need to adjust the recipe to fill the larger molds.)

Put a piece of aluminum foil over the cups.

Cut a small slit in the aluminum foil and insert a Popsicle stick for the handle.

Freeze until solid.

When you are ready for a cool treat, peel off the paper cup and enjoy! (You can leave the aluminum foil around the stick to catch the drips.)

Wilton’s Buttercream Icing (stiffer consistency for piping)

• 1 cup solid white vegetable shortening
• 1 teaspoon Wilton Flavor (Vanilla, Almond or Butter)
• 2 tablespoons milk or water
• 1 pound pure cane confectioners’ sugar (approximately 4 cups)
• 1 tablespoon Wilton Meringue Powder
• A pinch of salt (optional)

Cream shortening, flavoring, and water. Add dry ingredients and mix on medium speed until all ingredients have been thoroughly mixed together. Blend an additional minute or so, until creamy. Yields 3 cups.

Chocolate Buttercream icing can be made by adding ¾ cup cocoa or three 1 ounce unsweetened chocolate quarters (melted) and an additional 1 to 2 tablespoons water to recipe.

Fudge Sandwich Bars

• 1 1/2 cups butterscotch chips
• 3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies
• 1 12oz bag milk chocolate chips

Melt butterscotch chips in large bowl (2 minutes) in microwave. Stir in peanut butter until smooth. Add Rice Krispies. Spread half of mixture in 9" x 13" pan and refrigerate 15-30 minutes. Remove from refrigerator and melt chocolate chips. You can melt them in the microwave also, starting at 2 minutes and then 30 seconds as needed until melted. Stir the melted chips until smooth and spread over cereal mixture. Top with remaining cereal mixture.

Brownie Bribes with Kisses

We constantly joke around here about the need to have chocolate to keep us under control. Gwen works at Nordic Needle in bookkeeping. She loves to bake, but has willpower not to eat many of the things she bakes. To solve the "overstock" problem when she bakes, Gwen brings them to work to share!!! One of our favorites is a little brownie with a chocolate kiss on top. Plus, Gwen says it is one of the easiest goodies to make. They didn’t have an official name until this week, and we thought this said it all…..Brownie Bribes with Kisses!

• Prepare two boxes of brownie mix (9" x13" size) as shown on the box. Gwen prefers the Betty Crocker brownie mix.
• Refrigerate the dough for approximately 2 hours so it thickens.
• Grease mini muffin pans and fill with 1 tablespoon of brownie mix. Bake for 13-15 minutes.
• Place a Hershey’s kiss on top of each brownie immediately out of the oven. Press down slightly into the dough.
• Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and let cool until the kiss hardens.
• Store in an air tight container. I bet they would freeze well, but there are never leftovers to experiment with!!!