M&M Cookies [& Variations]

M&M cookies are a classic, simple recipe that will appeal to adults and children alike.  After spying some Easter M&Ms at the grocery store, I knew I could create a fun, festive cookie with my go-to recipe.

With all the types of M&Ms available today (peanut butter, classic, peanut, pretzel, holiday, etc), you can use this recipe for nearly any occassion.  They're simple and irresistable--the best kind of cookie!

Toss (ok, well don't toss) all the ingredients into a bowl and mix.

I pressed a few more M&Ms into the top of the dough.

The dough always bakes up a little nicer (doesn't spread too thin) if you freeze/refrigerate for a few minutes.

Bake until golden brown and DONE!

M&M Cookie Recipe

(taken from here)

1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 cup shortening
2 eggs
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 and 1/2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 and 1/2 cups M&Ms

1) In a large bowl, mix sugars, shortening, eggs, and vanilla.

2) Add flour, baking soda, salt, and half of M&Ms.

3) Drop by teaspoonful onto cookie sheet, pressing a few candies onto the top of each ball of dough.

3) Bake at 350 until golden brown, approximately 9-11 minutes.


Happy Easter!

-Candice

Sweet Potato Pound Cake [ & Welcome! ]

Hello and welcome to Candice Bakes!

This new blog will document many of my culinary creations, mostly those of the sweet variety.  Join me on my adventures in baking! Ready? Let's get started!

---

After baking a tasty sweet potato pie earlier in the week, I decided to use the rest of my sweet potatoes for another dessert.  Enter: Sweet Potato Pound Cake.  Never heard of it? Yeah, me either.  But really, when you mix delicious sweet potatoes and sugar, how bad can it be?  Let's see!

First things first! Set out eggs and butter to come to room temperature.  My dad's chickens laid those eggs yesterday...nom!

Sifter in the dishwasher? Don't have one? A whisk will do!

Mix mix mix.  What you see here is orange perfection.  I swear I didn't eat...much.

Bake in a 10 inch tube pan...aka the pound cake pan.

Run a small knife along the edge to loosen and allow to cool for 10 minutes before removing.

And then this!  You orange beauty!

You probably need a close up, right? I definitely do.

Final verdict?  Absolutely delicious.  Highly recommended. As in, stop reading this and go put some sweet potatoes in the oven right now.

Want to bake this orange piece of heaven?  You can find the original recipe here.

---

My adapted version below:

1 cup butter, room temperature

1 3/4 cups white sugar

2 cups baked, peeled, and mashed sweet potatoes *

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 eggs, room temperature 

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 cups cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour 10 inch tube pan.  Sift together both flours, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt.  Set aside.

2) Cream butter and sugar.  Add mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla, mix until blended.  Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition.  Add flour mixture and beat until combined.

3) Bake at 350 degrees 50-60 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before removing to a plate.

*While canned sweet potatoes can always be used, the best tasting sweet potato is baked.  Place in oven on 350 and bake until soft.  Let cool, peel, and mash.  If you want them to peel easily, brush with a little olive oil, place on a cookie sheet, and cook until done.

---

Thanks for reading my very first blog post!  Stay tuned for more confections!

-Candice