Welcome to Happylifeblogspot! A food blog with drool worthy recipes
Whether you’re looking to use up that leftover Halloween candy that’s hanging around or brainstorming an epic Thanksgiving spread that will knock everyone’s socks off, Butterfinger Cheesecake fits the bill perfectly. Cheesecake is such an amazing dessert on its own but when you toss in crispy, […]
Looking to shake things up a bit? Peach Mango Caprese Salad offers a lovely twist on the classic tomato and mozzarella dish. Caprese Salad fans will absolutely adore this lil bowl full of summer. The perfect bite holds wonderfully ripe peaches, juicy mango, tangy tomatoes, […]
Hey Y’all! Soooo….I’m about to change your life right now with S’mores Sandwich Cookies!! You don’t even need a campfire to create this delightful little treat. The cookies on their own are completely amazing so you’re going to have to resist devouring them hot out of the oven. But when you sandwich them together with a goey toasted marshmallow then you’ve really got the s’mores of your dreams. The first bite is the best part! Hints of cinnamon, graham cracker crumbs, and lots of chocolate chips make this easy to assemble sandwich cookie an instant hit. I know campfire marshmallows are a highly debated topic, but whether you’re team burnt, brown, or undercooked, we can all agree these cookies the best!!! S’mores lovers be warned cause it’s about to get dangerous. I’m warning you right now…be prepared for these to disappear quickly!!
Here’s all you’ll need: butter, white sugar, brown sugar, egg, milk, vanilla extract, flour, graham crackers, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, chocolate chips and marshmallows.
So without further ado….here is the next recipe you’ll be making on repeat! In a large bowl, cream together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until light and fluffy. A hand mixer on medium speed will get the job done for ya. And it helps immensely if the butter is softened ahead of time (even if that means you gotta nuke it in the microwave for a hot second).
Next beat in the egg, milk, and vanilla extract and mix well. Imitation vanilla is perfectly fine for this recipe. I find that the chocolate chips, graham crackers and marshmallows bring plenty of sweetness to the table.
Mix in the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to distribute throughout the cookie dough. Then, at a low speed, blend in the flour a half a cup at a time. Continue to mix until the flour is well combined.
Stir in the graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips. To make graham cracker crumbs I quickly pulsed the graham cracker pieces in a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor handy you can add the graham crackers to a plastic ziploc bag and break apart by hand or use a heavy rolling pin to crush into pieces. 
Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie dough and roll into a ball. The dough will be sticky so you’ll want to act fast and use a light touch. Place the cookie dough balls on a parchment lined baking sheet spread about 2 inches apart. You’ll want to give these cookies some space because they definitely spread A LOT while baking.
If you’re not familiar with it, parchment paper is a non-stick baking paper. It reduces browning and when you’re done using it you can just toss it in the trash. No mess! It’s probably my favorite baking tool and a really easy way to elevate your cookie making. 
Bake S’mores Sandwich Cookies in a 375 degree preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. 9 minutes was just perfect in my oven. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes or until easy to remove with a spatula. Remove the cookies to a wire rack or countertop to finish cooling. 
Place cookies bottom side up back on the baking sheet. Top each cookie bottom with a large marshmallow. Broil on low for 1-5 minutes or until desired toasty-ness. Keep a close watch during this step as marshmallows can burn quickly. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are toasted and the marshmallows begin to puff. 
Remove from the oven and immediately top with another cookie. Enjoy the ooey, gooey, goodness of s’mores without the campfire. Simply irresistible!!! If you love our S’mores Sandwich Cookies then you’ve gotta try our S’mores Bar too. Just Mmmmmmm!
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One bite of our Toffee Cookies will leave you thinking OMG!! Where have you been all my life? Seriously I’ve been reflecting how truly delicious these little nuggets are and I’m feeling a little guilty for not sharing them sooner. Toffee Cookies are the absolute […]
Alright let’s just cut to the chase here! This next recipe is called Chicken Wing Dip NOT “Buffalo” Chicken Wing Dip. You don’t call them “Buffalo” wings if you actually live in Buffalo. The Buffalo part is just assumed cause everyone knows that when it […]
If you like Pina Coladas and getting caught in the rain…..then you’ll LOVE this cake!!! Pina Colada Cake is moist, delicious, and loaded with the same tropical goodness as the popular summer drink. Now you can sip your favorite drink and eat it too. This tasty bundt cake is flavored with coconut, chunks of pineapple, and a splash of rum, then brushed with a sweet pineapple glaze, smothered in creamy coconut frosting and topped with toasted coconut. Ok you can stop drooling now! This cake is so over the top amazing, your guests will never believe that it’s actually made from a box cake mix. I won’t tell if you don’t.
Here’s all you’ll need: white cake mix, instant coconut cream pudding, canola oil, water, eggs, rum, crushed pineapple, confectioners’ sugar, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, and shredded coconut.
Let’s get started! Add the cake mix, instant coconut cream pudding, canola oil, water, eggs, and 1/4 cup of rum to a large bowl. We used Malibu to give this cake even more delicious pineapple flavor! Beat with a hand mixer for 30 seconds at low speed, then crank it up to medium and beat for an additional 2 minutes. The addition of pudding gives this cake a really nice, thick texture as well as added flavor.
Next drain the pineapple. And when I say drain, I really mean DRAIN. Like we want this stuff to be almost dry. I ran this through a strainer, squeezed even more juice out by hand, and then patted it off with paper towels. You can even bust out the hair dryer if you have to (I’m kidding!!!) But we want it to be D-R-Y!!! Stir the crushed pineapple into cake batter. You’ll need to break it up as you go to make sure it’s evenly distributed throughout.
Now it’s time to grease the cake pan. Bundt cakes can be a little intimidating at first, especially if you’re a first timer, but I’m telling you they’re really not that bad. This Faberware pan is pretty amazing!! I’ve never had problems with sticking or removing the cake from the pan. Here’s how I do it! Take a stick of butter and grease the pan. Rub it over every nook and cranny. Then add a handful of flour and roll it around inside the pan to coat all those crevices that you just covered in butter. Shake out any extra flour remaining in the cake pan. I’m telling you this method works like a charm!
Pour the cake batter into the bundt pan around the center ring. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. I recommend sipping a Pina Colada cocktail while you wait for your Pina Colada Cake to bake because why not? Cool the cake in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. It helps to gently run a butter knife around the edges of the pan before removing.
This pineapple glaze is SOOO good I could just drink it right up! In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons of pineapple juice to form a glaze.
While the cake is still warm, gently brush the glaze over the top to cover. It’s like one big, giant glazed donut!!! The glaze will soak into the cake and drip down onto the plate. Don’t pay any attention to the drips, this part doesn’t have to be perfect. But DO make sure you go all the way and use every last drop of that glaze!!
Now make sure that cake is cooled completely before this next step. If the cake’s not cool this luscious coconut frosting will run right off and we don’t want that! In separate bowl, whisk together the cream of coconut, 1 tablespoon of rum, and 1 cup of confectioners’ sugar to make this lick your lips delish coconut frosting. Whatever you do, don’t try it. You’ll likely end up eating it right out of the bowl and none of it will make it to the Pina Colada Cake!
Spread the frosting over the cake then top with shredded coconut before it has a chance to set. I toasted the coconut lightly in a a skillet. Cook on low for 5-10 minutes or until coconut turns golden brown. This step is all about personal preference but for me toasted coconut just tastes so dreamy!!!
If summer were a dessert, it would be Pina Colada Cake! Cut me off a slice!!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
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I’m pretty sure S’mores are the official dessert of Summer. Well if you like S’mores then you’re gonna flip out over S’mores bars!! These deliciously decadent bars taste just like S’mores but without all the mess. Heck, you can even skip the bon fire which […]
When I think of the Fourth of July, I think of hot dogs and hamburgers cooking on the grill, lots of yummy corn on the cob and tasty pasta salads, and of course, a big ole juicy watermelon. Well now you can add Watermelon Cookies […]
Summer BBQ season is finally here and we’re loving every minute of it! Aren’t summer foods just the best?!? Today I wanted to share with you a must have side dish for summertime picnics, potlucks, barbecues and get togethers, Slow-Cooked German Potato Salad. My German grandparents would be so proud! This Bavarian-style potato salad is quite different than the traditional mayonnaise dressed American version that most of us are used to. Served warm, it’s both sweet and savory, and pairs quite well with any kind of meat. It’s tangy, it’s sweet, it’s smoky, it’s delicious, it’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted!! This one will be a family staple for years to come. One bite and you’ll see why it’s made it’s way to the top of our summertime menu and will likely stay there straight through Oktoberfest!
Here’s all you’ll need: red potatoes, bacon, onion, flour, white sugar, brown sugar, salt, pepper, apple cider vinegar, and chives.
So this one takes a little bit of prep work but I promise you it’s well worth it! And since it’s finished in a slow cooker, once the prep work’s done, there’s really nothing more to do after that. It’s also one of the many reasons why I love this recipe especially for parties, because I can do all the kitchen work ahead of time leaving me more time with my guests.
Place the potatoes in a large stockpot, cover with water and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for about 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender (cooking times will vary depending on the size of your potatoes). Drain the water, cool the potatoes and set them aside.
Next cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp. What’s a potato salad without bacon?!? Lot’s of it!! You can chop it up before you cook or chop it afterwards, it’s totally up to you. I’m a chop it before it cooks kinda gal myself. Remove the bacon from the pan using a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to remove any excess grease.
Drain the bacon grease from the skillet, reserving 3 tablespoons in the pan to cook the onions. I’ll take all the extra bacon flavor I can get!! Saute the onion over medium-high heat until tender, or about 5 minutes.
Lower the heat to medium, and stir in the flour until well combined. Next mix in the salt, pepper, white sugar, and brown sugar. This will be the base for our tangy, but sweet dressing. Yum!!!
Combine the apple cider vinegar and water together in a small bowl. Gradually add the vinegar water mixture to the skillet, about a half a cup at a time, stirring with each addition. This will give our German Potato Salad that nice tangy flavor! Once all the liquid has been added, bring the mixture to a boil, and cook until slightly thickened, about six minutes. Be sure to stir constantly, focusing on the middle of the pan, where the mixture will be the hottest, as well as scraping the sides. We don’t want it to burn or stick!
Now we’re in the home stretch people! Slice the potatoes and place them in a greased 5-6 quart slow cooker. Sprinkle with chopped bacon and cover it all up with that delicious dressing. Cover and cook on the lowest heat setting for 3-4 hours or until heated through. If you’re bringing German Potato Salad to a picnic or potluck, I’d recommend placing it on the keep warm setting, and serving it right out of the crockpot. You can’t get any easier than that!
Sprinkle with chives just before serving and enjoy! Doesn’t that just look delicious??? I know I’ll be going for seconds! Try our Bacon Ranch Potato Salad or Sweet and Tangy Macaroni Salad next!
We’d love to hear from you! Leave us your comments and love down below!
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Pizza Pasta Salad is the summer side dish your whole family will agree on! Loaded up with all of your favorite pizza toppings, this hearty salad tastes just like your favorite pizza. We’re always in need of new summer side dishes that pair well with […]
Hi There! I’m Lisa. I’m a lover of all things crafty, creative, DIY, and delicious!!! Oh yeah and puppies too! I love cooking and baking for my friends and family but especially WITH my friends and family. I show my greatest affection through food. If I cook or bake for you, it means I really like you!
