Shortbread Hearts

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. butter  BUTTER.  Did I say butter?  That's 3 sticks of BUTTER.  (room temperature)

1 C. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

3 1/2 C. flour

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350°.

Big bowl:

Mix butter and sugar until combine, add vanilla.

Smaller bowl:

Sift flour and salt.

Add dry to butter and sugar and mix on low speed until dough comes together.

Dump onto a surface dusted with flour, shape into a flat disk.  Wrap in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

On a floured surface, roll dough out to 1/2 inch thick and cut with heart cookie cutter, or whatever shape you are in the mood for!

Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Sprinkle with sugar, raw sugar, colored sugar, or leave plain and dust with powdered sugar after they have cooled completely.

Bake for 20-25 minutes.

Done!  Easy!

Yummy Carrot Cake!

*No eggs / no dairy*

Ingredients

1 1/2 C flour

1 C sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

3/4 C shredded carrots (can substitute shredded zucchini)

1/4 C vegetable oil

1 tsp white vinegar

1 C water

(optional - 1/2 C raisins or 1/2 C chopped, dried apricots)

Directions

1)  Sift dry ingredients into a mixing bowl.

2)  Add oil, vinegar, water

3)  Mix with mixer or wooden spoon 1-2 minutes.

4)  Stir in carrots.
5)  Bake at 350° for 45-50 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Makes great cupcakes!  Reduce cooking time to 15-20 minutes.

We love cream cheese frosting, but you could also use apricot jam on top for a glaze.

*  I baked this in a 9" springform pan and it came out thin, maybe 2" thick.  I made a second to have a layered cake, and I think next time I will make a triple layer.

*  We've never tried any of the substitutes or optional ingredients, so you'll have to fiddle around with the recipe and make your favorite combination!

Evil Mug Brownies!

Microwave

1-2 min.

Ingredients:

½ C. flour

¼ C. brown sugar

2 T. cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

2 T. canola oil

3 T. milk, coffee, or water

Butterscotch, chocolate, and/or white chocolate chips optional!
Nutella?

Stir dry ingredients in a mug until there are no lumps.

Add oil and milk (or other choice) to make a thick paste. (Adjust liquid to right consistency.)

Add chips!

Microwave 1 minute.  Top will still look gooey.  Flake with fork to see if it looks like it’s cooked.  Add 10 seconds more if necessary.

I just found another suggestion on Pinterest that might really put these over the edge.  Add a dollop of Nutella to the middle!  So brownie, Nutella, brownie.

♥

OMG.  So easy.  So good.  So evil.

Eggless Banana Bread

350°

1 hour
1 loaf

Ingredients:

1/3 C. butter

2/3 C. sugar

3 large bananas

2 C. flour

1 tsp. baking powder

½ tsp. baking soda

1/8 tsp. salt

(big bowl)

Mix together butter and sugar with mixer, mix in bananas.

(small bowl)

Sift dry ingredients:

-         flour

-         baking powder

-         baking soda

-         salt

Fold dry ingredients to butter/sugar/bananas.

Pour into buttered loaf pan.

Bake 1 hour (or longer, depending on the size of bananas) until toothpick comes out clean.


Adjusted the recipe because the more you beat the flour, the denser the bread will be.  Folding in the dry ingredients makes a lighter bread!

♥

We’ve tried a few eggless banana breads
and they came out like bricks.
Yuck! 
Finally, we found this one and it’s AWESOME!
Hope you enjoy it!