Lemon Icebox Pie

I first tasted this lemon icebox pie at a friend's house in seventh grade...they had recently moved to DC from Arkansas, and opened me up to a whole new world of things like chicken 'n dumplings, quail and eggs for breakfast, and chicken fried steak.  I was in food heaven.

I know there are recipes for this pie that use real lemon juice, egg yolks, etc. but this is the super simple version - it's sweet and tart and is sooooo good on a hot summer day!

Sweet Shortcuts - Sprite Cupcakes

I was chatting with a friend of mine who loves to bake, and she told me about something called Sprite Cupcakes.  She said that all you do is take a vanilla cake mix and add a 12 oz. can (or 1.5 cups) of Sprite, or any other lemon-lime soda. 

I was very skeptical...don't cake mixes need eggs and either oil or butter?

I decided to throw caution to the wind and try it.  Guess what?  It was DELICIOUS!

Jazz It Up - Ice Cream Sandwiches

I think we can all agree that ice cream sandwiches are scrumptious as they are, right?  BUT, this simple step puts them way over the top!

Sweet Shortcuts - Strawberry Jam

I love jam, but making it is such a hassle when you have to sterilize the jars, do the canning, then put them in a water bath, etc.  Growing up, my family spent the summers in Maine, and we had a big raspberry patch in our garden.  We made raspberry jam quite often, but it was a day-long process, in a steamy hot kitchen.

This recipe is much simpler, because you refrigerate the jam, eliminating the need to do all the canning steps.  The only drawback is that it doesn't last as long - it will only be good for several weeks.  Please note that the final product is fairly thin and drippy - if you prefer thick jam, this is not the recipe for you.

Jazz It Up - Brownies

Hello!  I'm starting a new type of post called Jazz It Up, which features store-bought goodies jazzed up a little.  It's not always easy to make baked goods from scratch - our jobs, families, schools, etc. take up a lot of our time.

Today's Jazz It Up is for store-bought brownies.  I got these Two-Bite Brownies at Whole Foods, and they would be fine to serve as is.   But with a little effort, they can be super cute!

All I did was pipe a little frosting on them, and add some sprinkles, and look:

Aren't they cute?  They would be great for bake sales, birthday parties, or just family desserts!

The next Jazz It Up will be for pound cake - look for it in the next few weeks,
- Sugar Baby

Washi tape crafts

I'm in complete awe of people who make things with their hands, because I have a serious lack of patience when it comes to crafting.  It's disappointing, because I see all sorts of gorgeous things online, but I always give up half way through.

Which is why I'm so in love with washi tape!  It's so much fun to work with, and comes in an array of colors.  I buy mine online, here, but there are lots of places you can find them.

Cupcakes with Surprises Inside

Hi everyone!

I was sitting outside, enjoying this lovely day...and dreading the arrival of the 17 year cicadas that are about to hit DC! 

When they're alive, I think they're kind of cool.  BUT.  Once they die, the ground will be covered with a jillion (exact number) dead carcasses.  Ugh.  It will be a feast for the birds, foxes, and deer that live in the huge wooded park across the street, but stepping outside turns into a disgusting, crunchy experience!

Apparently, they're edible, and I've seen lots of recipes online for cicada sushi, cicada brownies, chocolate covered cicadas, etc.  Trust me, you will see none of those on my blog!

That has nothing to do with the recipe today - just thought I would share what's about to happen in Washington, DC!

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Today's recipe is for Cupcakes with Surprises Inside, also known as stuffed or filled cupcakes.  I did two versions - one filled with strawberry frosting, and one filled with Nutella.

The cupcake wrappers I used hint at what's inside: