Melissa's Butterscotch Pudding [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Melissa's Butterscotch Pudding, was chosen by Jennifer of Maple N' Cornbread.

I had to sit out this week due the sheer amount of baking I did last week for my boyfriend. Also, I am back in SoCal for the weekend to celebrate my mom's birthday. No baking until next week's velvet cake! I'm sure the SMSers who did make it thought it was wonderful!

These pictures enlarged and without the words turned into my mother's birthday present.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!

Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cinnamon cookies without the chocolate chips one of the two things my boyfriend requested, but since this whole box was chocolate themed, I decided to throw a couple of chocolate chips in. It tastes like a snickerdoodle, but with chocolate chips. It was so good.

Chocolate Mint Cookies

I based these cookies off these Chocolate Andes Cookies, but since I had mint chips already from winter break, I decided just to put those in the dough instead. They were a nice break from all the chocolate chips!

Chocolate Espresso Cookies

These chocolate espresso cookies, although I personally think they look similar to the Brownie Cookies, taste much different. They are a bold surprise if you're not expecting the blast of coffee taste. They are a great addition to any morning!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

These tried and true chocolate chip cookies were not originally on the list to make, but by the end, I felt like I wanted to make something easier rather than slaving over cappuccino brownies, I decided to make these. I will try those cappuccino brownies some other day, but for now, these were original and yummy!

Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

These chocolate cake mix cookies were delicious. I made half of the recipe and used white chocolate and some walnuts. I figure out afterwards that my boyfriend doesn't like nuts, but oh well, he'll still eat them!

Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Cookies

Third recipe in my twenty one recipes. These brown sugar cookies were small but tasty! I had put these on parchment paper and they did not spread at all, but that did conserve space in my box of chocolatey goodness!

Brownie Cookie

Today is actually my boyfriend's birthday. The package was finished yesterday and will be sent today and hopefully it'll get to him by Wednesday for him to share with his friends...or keep all the cookies and brownies for himself.

This past week was filled with baking so I'm a bit baked out. I've still got a King's Cake to make, but I'll be making an easier version found online.

These brownie cookies were super delicious. It's like a hybrid between the two and has the best of both worlds. Hope you enjoy them as well!

Black Bottom Brownies [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Black Bottom Brownies, was chosen by Cynthia of Bakingtherapist.

Sorry for the super short post, but I am running very behind on my 21 items for my beloved boyfriend. This was number one on the list. Chocolate, cheesecake - what's not to love? Since I decided to half the recipe, I put it in a 8in cake pan, but not all the cheesecake layer decided to make it into the pan. That's why my cheesecake layer seems so small. Oh well!

Picture from senior year of high school.
[almost three years ago...damn has it really been that long?]

The next 20 days will be filled with chocolate recipes - nothing too fancy or special, just chocolate in brownies, cookies and fudge! Hope you enjoy them.

Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Lemon Walnut-Sour Cream Pound (cup)Cake [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Lemon Walnut-Sour Cream Pound Cake, was chosen by Raeann of Basically, Baby Boots.

The group has opened itself up to more members for those who want to join. Email the people in charge and you'll be in! It's a super small group of us so we try to comment on everyone's blogs.

Back to this though, these cupcakes were very good, but not particularly lemonly without the sauce on top. The lemon sauce which was equal parts lemon juice and sugar was a concentrated lemon taste that was really good. I had brought a couple along with me to a dinner with friends that I rarely see, but then two of the girls had decided to cancel. Instead, I brought it with me to the dinner still that I had planned but it was just a dinner between one high school friend and I. Also, I brought these with me on my flight back up north. School's finally starting and I'll be busy busy busy again. Hopefully I will be able to bake as much as I do now, but that is probably unlikely.

Look out for the next couple of weeks - I plan on making 21 different chocolate things in honor of my boyfriend's birthday who is turning 21 and for the Kiwanis Takeover [themed Mardi Gras]. I will try to start posting these Monday, in hopes that since he doesn't read my blog consistently, he won't read it now before he gets the package!

Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Coconut Cupcakes [msc]

Coconut cupcakes just were a sea of white in the Martha Stewart book. I remember looking at it and thinking where am I going to get these nice looking almond flakes from? What am I even going to bake the for? I can't just randomly make them and bring them to a meeting...or can I?

I had persuaded a friend of mine, Kevin, who I have made multiple cupcakes for, to drive me down to UC San Diego which is only about 75 or so miles from here. I know that my friends from Berkeley Circle K were going down as well.

I had made these the day of the meeting starting at about 11am and was done with everything at about 2pm. I rushed over to my friend Kevin's place and totally locked my keys into the car. Then we waited for AAA and then we got my keys out and were ready to go to San Diego!

It was pretty fun. I just hung out with my friends until the meeting and then meeting and then afterwards we got Mexican food. SO YUMMY. REAL MEXICAN FOOD.

I had made a couple of changes in this recipe. First I added a little more shredded coconut into the batter. Also, I made a coconut syrup with the leftover coconut milk (since I really had no use for it). I had put this syrup in the middle of the cupcake by cutting a hole and filling that with the syrup. Afterwards, I topped it with the seven minute frosting, but I had made the regular version and 1/6th of the recipe printed. In addition, I topped it with more shredded coconut! It was just a explosion of coconut flavor.

My friends had appreciated and most of them really enjoyed it. I hope to see my San Diego friends more!

WHOA. blurry, but that's okay!

The recipe for this month's Cupcake Club is found on pages 28-29 of Martha Stewart's Cupcake book. Thanks to Jennifer from Cinema Cupcakes for choosing this.

ps. I had written this blog post much before the Haiti tragedy had happened. My thoughts are with these people. It is truly a tragedy. I wish I was able to donate as much as other bloggers, but alas, being in college prevents that.

Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Pie Crust [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Chocolate Pie Crust, was chosen by Donna of L’Amour de Tarte.

We had an opportunity to choose what we wanted for the center and since I had this bookmarked for the longest time to make, I decided to take the chance and make this peanut butter pie. Although it calls for fudge on the bottom, I decided to skip that part because the crust was already chocolate flavored. Because of that, I made half of the fudge layer for the drizzle on top. I also made this into a tart pan, well because it would just be prettier and easier.

I bought it with me to my trip to UCLA this past week and it was a crazy week this week.

Monday, UCSD - Circle K meeting and food.
Tuesday, UCI - Circle K meeting and more food. Chipotle
Wednesday, Avatar 3D with my friend and crepes and starbucks. Gossip and talking haha.
Thursday, UCLA - Circle K meeting and a frat rush party. I ended up taking care of a drunk girl. Ahh oh well - I guess that's the perk of being sober.
Friday, relaxing because it's been a crazy busy week.

Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.

Chocolate Cream Caramels [sms]

This week's Sweet Melissa Sundays pick, Chocolate Cream Caramels, was chosen by Jeanette of The Whimsical Cupcake.

I was attempting these caramels without a thermometer - I had read up on all the articles I could and watched all the youtube videos. Still, I apparently let it sit on the stove for too long and the caramels were hard. Too hard to even really eat. A failed batch for me; perhaps, I'll get back to it someday and make them successfully!

I do have some resolutions for this new year regarding my life and my blog. I've come a long way since then, but I've got lots more to do this next year!

My New Years Resolutions:
- Bake more often, and with that, post more often. Hopefully it'll be once every two days or so.
- Eat as healthy as possible. More vegetables and less sweets!
- Job searching! Hopefully either I'll find a job or an internship for this summer.
- Sleep by 1, up by 8!
- Pictures, pictures, pictures! Document my everyday life for me and everyone around me.
- Be nicer. I know that I have an attitude sometimes, and I will try to tone that down.
- Relationships. Friendships. Build those.
- Thank the little things in life.


If anyone has any suggestions for the blog, please let me know so I can improve on those for you!

Recipe for the caramels here! Make sure to check out the rest of the SMS bakers on the blogroll.