V Day is just around the corner so you may be looking for some simple treats to put together for a classroom party or other festivities.  This recipe checks all those boxes.  I was happily surprised to run into Lemon Creme Oreos as you may know from my other posts that lemon is pretty much my husband's only go-to dessert flavor.  Once in a while he'll go for something with berries or maybe an apple pie, but he'd rather game meat over dessert any day.  Lemon seems to be the exception to the rule.

This recipe requires no baking and can easily be decorated with sprinkles for any holiday, but we went with the red, white and pink for Valentine's Day here.  You could easily modify this for any flavor of Oreo cookie and/or double the recipe. This single batch makes approximately 20 truffles. I'm all about some easy recipes these days as I've officially rolled into my third trimester!

Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients
-2/3 package of Lemon Creme Oreos
-1 package cream cheese (leave out to bring up to room temperature)
-1 package white chocolate chips
-sprinkles for decorating

Directions
Place the Oreos in a food processor and process until there are no big chunks left.  Without a food processor, you can also place in a freezer bag and smash with a rolling pin.  This will give you a mild workout as well! Place the cream cheese and the processed Oreos in the bowl of a stand mixer and stir until well combined. If you don't have a stand mixer, the next easiest way to do this is by mashing it all together with your hands.  Once combined, place the bowl in the fridge to chill for about 30-60 minutes.  Using spoons or a cookie scooper, shape the batter into bite sized balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie tray. Return to the fridge to chill while you prepare the white chocolate.

Using a double boiler method, melt the white chocolate and dip/roll each ball into the chocolate and return to the parchment paper lined tray.  Add your sprinkles before the chocolate sets and return the truffles to the fridge to set for an hour.  Done!

New Year's Eve! How is it already New Year's Eve? Growing up, my parents hosted big NYE parties and it made Auld Lang Syne one of my most favorite, nostalgic songs ever. December 31st also happens to be my husband's birthday so we have two big reasons to celebrate.  He is not a dessert guy, which somehow co-exists with my ridiculous sweet tooth, but there is one significant exception to this general rule: lemon. Lemon bars, lemon cake, lemon pie etc. can get him over to the dessert table so I've created a simple lemon cupcake recipe here and topped it with vanilla buttercream. There are only 8 ingredients in this cupcake recipe, they bake in about 20 minutes and the recipe gives you a dozen little blissful treats. I do subscribe to the motto that you can't be sad when holding a cupcake so let's get this recipe going, shall we?

Ingredients

For the Cupcake
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/2 cup vegetable oil
-2 eggs
-1 cup sugar
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-zest and juice of 1 lemon

For the Frosting
-1/2 cup butter at room temperature
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-3 cups powdered sugar
-4-5 TBS milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a muffin tin by spraying with non-stick spray and inserting cupcake liners.  In a large bowl, sift together the flour, salt and baking powder.  Set aside. In another large bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the oil and sugar.  Add in the eggs one at a time and then the vanilla.  Stir together until well combined.  Add in the lemon zest and juice and combine.  Slowly add in the dry ingredients with the mixer on low and stir until just combined.  After the mixer is turned off, use a rubber spatula to make sure that all dry  ingredients are incorporated.  Don't over mix.

Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin with cupcake liners and fill approximately 2/3 full.  I used 1/4-1/3 cup of batter in each liner.  Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.  Check to see if the cupcakes are done by inserting a toothpick into the middle and it should come out mostly clean.  The tops will be starting to turn a light, golden brown.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting by adding the room temperature butter to the bowl of a stand mixer.  Cream together the butter and 1 cup of the powdered sugar.  Keep the speed towards low to avoid a big cloud of powdered sugar as you continue to add ingredients.  Once the initial sugar and butter are combined, add in the vanilla extract and 1-2 TBS of the milk.  Slowly add in the remaining two cups of powdered sugar and another 1-2 TBS of milk (1 TBS at a time).  Continue to mix until all combined.  Once combined, increase the speed to medium/high to allow the mixer to whip the ingredients into a fluffy looking frosting.  The frosting should stick to a knife when pulled out but be soft enough to spread.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost the tops.  I used a Wilton 1M tip and pastry bag (available at Walmart, Michaels, craft stores or Amazon) to pipe a single layer rosette on these and there was some leftover frosting so this recipe will be enough to pile the frosting higher if you would like to decorate differently.

Wishing you all the happiest of New Year's and praying for those reflecting on a tough year gone by or challenges coming up. Peace, love and joy to you all!

The countdown is on with less than 2 days to go until the big day.  I've been intent on living this Advent season different than my typical frenzied Advent history and our recent change in me being home more has helped for sure.  We've also politely declined an event here or there to avoid cramming the family schedule to being in a mad rush to get from one thing to the next with over tired and over stimulated small children.  Sometimes the season is felt in the spaces in between.

I have a few last minute things to take care of but thankfully nothing that has me thinking "I'm never going to get this done." It's clear to me now that none of that frenzy was important or even necessary when I think back to previous years when I felt an insanely hectic pace.  Didn't Christmas arrive on the 25th anyway? And didn't we enjoy the day with family regardless of some small detail not going as planned?

I bring you this super quick recipe in the event you find yourself wanting to put something homemade together for gifts or the dessert table, but you're feeling squeezed on time...and maybe energy.  This recipe can be creatively modified countless different ways and it comes together in minutes.  Here's what you'll need:

Ingredients
-1 package dark chocolate chips
-1 package milk chocolate chips
-1 package white chocolate chips
-Toppings such as dried cranberries, pistachios, coarse sea salt.  Other options include goji berries, pumpkin seeds, hemp hearts, dried cherries, almonds, unsweetened coconut.
-Toppings such as festive M&Ms, candy canes, peppermints, peanut butter cups, coconut, peppermint patties or other candy bars.

Directions
Prepare two cookies sheets with parchment paper.  Melt the dark chocolate chips and spread on the parchment paper of one tray.  Top with crushed toppings such as the cranberries, pistachios, sea salt etc. for the "nice" Christmas bark."  Place in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to set.

Melt the milk chocolate chips and spread on the other lined cookie sheet.  Place in the freezer to set for 15 minutes.  Melt the white chocolate chips and spread over top of the set milk chocolate chips and sprinkle the chopped more indulgent goodies such as peppermints, M&Ms, peanut butter cups etc. on the white chocolate.  Return to the freezer to set for 30-60 minutes.

Once set, remove the trays from the freezer, chop up the bark and dazzle the dessert/snack table or place in tins or mason jars for small sweet treat gifts.  You know your peeps! Maybe you've got a friend who is more naughty than nice or put both versions of the bark in your gift container for options!

Enjoy these couple of days my friends! I know this time of year can be tough for many and for many different reasons, but please know that I'm praying for you all and wish you a Merry Christmas!