So, I have this very cute boyfriend who doesn't to be photographed, BUT he is a chef and likes his food to be photographed.  Yesterday, I looked at him and told him I wanted to be creative.  He said, "I've got spray paint."  Yeah, not at 9pm.  Then he mentioned dinner and I was like, "yo, food photography."  Thankfully he agreed and I got a REALLY GOOD BATCH OF FRENCH TOAST!  
Long story short, enjoy some yummy food tonight.  
To make this yummy toast, we did:  three eggs, dash of milk, cinnamon, and vanilla.  
Then he added some homemade jam and pomegranates!

You Will Need:

• 1 cup soft butter
• 2/3 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 egg yolks
• Extra regular sugar 
• Jam of choosing (see how I make my jam: https://www.sydneyrosephotos.com/blog/the-best-jam-ever) 

Cream butter and sugar, then add flour and wet ingredients.  Roll dough in regular sugar to coat and place on baking sheet.  Make a thumbprint size dent in the cookie to hold your jam and then bake at 350F for 10 minutes!  Once they have baked, wait for them to cool for 5-10 minutes and spoon the jam into the center dent!  
​Enjoy! 

These cookies are officially one of my favorites, and you know how I much I love to bake my own goodies.  Not only is there the perfect icing to cookie ratio, but it's so light that I could eat all 31 of them!  
We had them for my brother's graduation party and I am not even sure that he got to have one because they were gone as soon as they were out.  I highly suggest grabbing some for your special and not so special occasions near North Augusta, SC!
​https://www.facebook.com/31CookiesbyAshley/

These are delicious!  Even my neighbor who doesn't like brussel sprouts loved them! 

Ingredients:
1 lb Brussel sprouts 
3 tbs Olive oil 
1 tbs Balsamic vinegar
1 tbs Honey
1 tsp Salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Cut off stems and half the brussel sprouts 
3. Mix the olive oil, vinegar, honey, salt and pepper 
4. Toss the brussel sprouts in the mix and lay out on a pan.  Be sure to spread them out so they roast!  
5. Leave them in the oven while stirring occasionally for 20 min
6. When done, drizzle with MORE HONEY and enjoy!
​

One of my favorite mac and cheese recipes!
​
Ingredients:
     1 box penne pasta
     8 oz shredded gouda (we do half smoked and half not)
     1 medium onion diced
     6 slices of bacon cut into pieces
     1 cup reserved pasta water
     2 cups milk
     3 tbsp flour

Directions:
     1. Cook pasta and brown the bacon a little bit
   2. Saute onion with bacon and coat with flour.  Let this cook til bacon is done
     3. Slowly add pasta water and stir then milk (add milk until the consistency of gravy)
     4. Add cheese until melted then stir in the pasta

The other day, I decided to make some pound cake to go with all the jam that I made.  It was delicious and I wanted to share my recipe with you guys!  It is really easy, so give it a shot and let me know how it goes.  This does make a very large cake and I half it, but if you happen to have a large pound cake pan, then have it!   

Ingredients:
     1 lb butter
     2 cups sugar
     6 eggs
     1 can Eagle Brand condensed milk
     3 cups Swanns Down cake flour
     2 tsp vanilla 

Directions:
     1.  Cream butter and sugar, add one egg at a time beating after each.  
     2.  Add flour and milk alternatively ending with flour. 
     3.  Add vanilla.  
     4.  Butter and dust the pan with flour, then bake at 325 for an hour and a half.   
     5.  Drizzle it with that delicious jam from last week and ENJOY! 

My mother makes 24 jars of strawberry jam every year; but this year, I got to make the jam and I got jam-happy.  After making 24 jars of strawberry jam, I made 3 jars of peach jam and 5 jars of blackberry jam.  Mom says that once you have homemade jam, that you cannot go back to "that smuckers crap" and I could not agree more.  Here is the recipe for you all to try it yourselves!  I do not suggest making 24 jars, but a few batches really doesn't take that much time or effort. 

Ingredients: 
Sure Gel Pectin
     For Strawberry Jam: 
          4 cups Strawberries 
          4 cups sugar
     For Peach Jam:
          2 lbs. peaches
          2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
          4.5 cups sugar 
     For Blackberry Jam:
          6 cups blackberries
          5.25 cups sugar

Directions:
     1. Crush/finely chop the fruit you are using and mix with the sugar.  Let this sit for 10 minutes while           stirring occasionally.  
     2.  Place the pectin in a pot with 3/4 cup of water and bring to a boil.  Then boil for one minute and              keep stirring.  
     3.  Pour the pectin into the fruit and sugar mixture and stir for 3 minutes.  
     4.  Finally, pour it into jars and leave them in one place for 24 hours, then place in the freezer for up            to a year.  

So, I made some DELICIOUS cupcakes over spring break. These homemade lemon cupcakes with a blackberry buttercream frosting were to die for!!! I got the recipe from bakerbynature, and you should definitely check her out. I didn’t have all of the ingredients that she used, so I did have to make some substitutions. They took a little more effort than boxed cupcakes, but trust me, they’re soooo much better and great for a rainy baking day. I even brought some of them back to school with me, and I used them to get a date! Never underestimate the power of a homemade cupcake.  

THANK YOU TO BAKERBYNATURE!  Please take a look at some of her recipes!  I plan on trying some more soon!  

https://bakerbynature.com/lemon-cupcakes-blackberry-buttercream/

For the cupcakes:

• 1 3/4 cups sifted all purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites, at room temperature
• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp lemon extract 

For the Blackberry Buttercream:

• 1 cup-ish blackberries
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, VERY soft
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (do not SKIP!)
• 4 cups confectioners sugar (more if needed), sifted

Instructions: 

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 mold muffin tin with paper liners. 
• In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well to combine and sift a little more for good measure.  
• In a large measuring cup or bowl combine sour cream, milk, vanilla, and egg whites.  Mix well.  
• In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat melted butter and sugar on medium speed until well combined; about 2 minutes.  Go ahead and taste it, because butter and sugar are my favorite, and I know you want to.  
• Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter/sugar combination, beating until just combined. Add in the liquid mixture from earlier and beat on low until combined.  Do not over mix.  
• Divide the cupcake batter evenly into the 12 molds, then place the pan in the oven. Bake for about 16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before topping with frosting.  For me, the cupcakes took about 20 minutes, but bakerbynature knows best.  

For the Buttercream: 

• Combine the blackberries and lemon juice in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and stir constantly until blackberries have become soft enough to mash effortlessly.; about 6-7 minutes It will look like blackberry jam. Once the mixture can coat a spoon (you will have about 1/4 cup of blackberry puree) remove from heat. Place a fine-mesh strainer over a small bowl and push the puree though, leaving any seeds/large chunks behind. Allow mixture to cool completely before using.  This does take a while, but trust me it is worth it in the end.  Gives a great rich taste.  
• Place soft butter in the body of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat butter on medium-speed until completely smooth, scraping down the sides when needed.  Add in the blackberry puree and beat until completely combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Add in the confectioners sugar, one cup at a time, on low speed. Once all of the sugar has been added, add in salt then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 2 full minutes. Then you're done!  Ice those cooled cupcakes and ENJOY.