Raspberry M and M's and Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies

I saw this package of M and M's and who could resist the beautiful pink packaging. Also, who could resist the combination of raspberry and dark chocolate. Not me, I tell you that. 

So I thought I would toss these into some cookies with the always delicious mini chips and they turned out pretty great.  Fun treat for the weekend. 

You will see that I used cold butter. That's because I didn't have any softened and I was decided to make cookies. I just slice the butter into 1 Tablespoon servings and cream that with the sugar. It may take a bit longer to get it creamy, but it works just as well for the end result. ~Bake away.

• 
  
• Raspberry M and M and Mini Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 
  
• Ingredients:

1 stick salted butter, can be cold, cut into 1 Tbsp squares

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 large egg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste,or vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

3 Tablespoons vanilla instant pudding mix

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 package of raspberry M & M's

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. 

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugars together until well combined. Add the egg and vanilla, mixing to combine. Add the flour, pudding mix, baking soda, stirring to combine.

Stir in the mini chips and the M & M's.

Scoop dough onto cookie sheet 1-inch apart from each other. Bake for 10-14 minutes until cooked through. Let cool on the cookie sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

I made 2 1/2 dozen.

~Michelle

Strawberry and Lemon Bundt Cake

In my never ending search for delicious dessert recipes I came upon this moist and tasty bundt cake recipe. Fresh strawberries and fresh lemon juice made this the perfect dessert for Easter lunch.  I think that it would also make a great dessert for Mother's Day too.

I don't have any pictures of the whole cake because I took it for Easter lunch and then the leftovers to work that night, yes I worked on Easter, so all I had to photograph were a few slices.  I guess it was a hit.

 Easter Flowers

They are really blossoming. 

Just a sample of our Easter Eggs.

Strawberry and Lemon Bundt Cake

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs

3 Tablespoons lemon juice, divided

Zest of 2 lemons

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

8 oz plain or vanilla, Greek style yogurt

12 oz. fresh strawberries, diced

1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375F. Grease and flour a 10-inch bundt pan. Sift together the 2 1/4 cups of flour, baking soda and salt. Mix in the lemon zest and set aside.

With an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 Tablespoon of the lemon juice. Alternate beating in the flour mixture and the yogurt, mixing just until incorporated. 

Toss the diced strawberries with the remaining 1/4 cup of flour. Gently mix them into the batter.

Put the batter in the bundt pan. ( my batter was nice and thick). Place in the oven and reduce the temperature to 325F and bake for 60 - 70 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Allow to cool at least 20 minutes in the pan, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely. Once cooled whisk together the remaining 2 Tablespoons of lemon juice and the powdered sugar. Drizzle over the top of the cake.

I'm thinking next time even more strawberries!

~Michelle

original recipe from here