Weekends Are Fun Blog Hop

Weekends Are Fun is a blog hop for many different kinds of posts, whether you have just made something, written a tutorial, have a recipe to share, flowers, garden ideas, inspiration, well you get the idea. I would love for you to share your blog, and do me a favor and share this hop. Last week we had 47 participants and I would like to increase that with more blogs visiting to share their blogs, I want this to build, so as everyone knows sharing is an important of getting the word out.

Note: All links will be Pinned To Our Pinterest Party Board  Oh and I have 7,041 followers so far. 

NEW to “Weekends Are Fun” is my way of giving back by featuring new friends, to share a little about them, so here we go!!

                           

                                

Ann Marie aka Nana (pronounced NahNah) is married, has 2 married daughters and a teenage son a Mancoon cat named Miss Kitty and 2 granddaughters.  She considers herself passionate about vintage junk and Nah Nah things. And as you can see from the photos loves to garden with flare.  You can meet her and read more at Musings of a Vintage Junkie

          

 Arlene Mobley author of FlourOnMyFace.com  I am a  food blogger , social media lover, food photographer, recipe developer, mom and grandmother who loves all things food and is Pinterest obsessed these days. Recently discovered she like wine after sampling different varieties as she talks about in her post from last Weekends Are Fun linky. You can meet her and find her delicious recipes at Flour On My Face

Just a few Rules: Link up your blog and leave me a comment I will return the favor.

 Some questions to ponder– If God sneezed, what would you say to him?

How do you feel about something “new” and “improved”?

I would love if you Follow Me, I promise to return the favor with a comment and follows!!

Other Weekend Hops I Follow ♥ Follow Who Crafty Spiced ♥ Friday Blog Hop ♥ Freedom Friday ♥ Family Fun Friday Blog Hop ♥ Lets Get Social ♥ Super Handmade Sunday ♥ Super Sunday Sync ♥Claire Justine  ♥The Pin Junkie  ♥ A Peak Into My Paradise  ♥ Friendship Friday 

So now please add our link, you can add 2, please keep them family friendly and fun!!

An InLinkz Link-up

Weekends Are Fun Blog Hop

Featured Valentine Confectionery Treats

With Valentines coming up I wanted to do a special post featuring some fun food blogs that add flair to the holiday, so I went in search and have found several. The first one is Cupcakes Garden and it is all about cupcakes by holiday theme, flavor, events and fruit cupcakes and special. The cupcake I wanted to feature here is Red Velvet Cupcakes.

Red Velvet Cupcakes from Cupcake Garden 

Then the next blog I found is Pint Sized Baker and she offers other confectioneries such as cake pops, truffles, fruit treats, cake treats, jello treats, frozen treats, pies and tarts, breads and bars. I saw a recipe for dried fruit and cereal bars that look really good. And she also offers supplies on her blog. One of the treats I found was on Pinterest, (our favorite site to wander) were these Cake Pops.

http://pinterest.com/pin/300193131381734096/

So if your looking for a baked treat I would recommend either of 

these sites to search through ideas and recipes.  

Happy Valentines!!

Recipes Quaker Oats.com

Recipes | QuakerOats.com: Oatmeal Cookies

• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1  egg
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, preferably canola
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups Quaker oats (quick or old fashioned, uncooked)
• 1 cup “mix-ins” (dried cranberries, mixed dried fruit pieces, raisins, mini chocolate chips or chopped nuts)

Preparation Heat oven to 350ºF. In large bowl, beat brown sugar, egg, oil, applesauce and vanilla on medium speed of electric mixer until combined. Add combined flours, baking soda and salt; beat on low speed just until blended.

Stir in oats and “mix-ins.” Drop dough by level measuring tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 9 to 10 minutes, until light brown. (Do not overbake. Centers will appear soft.)
Cool 1 to 2 minutes on cookie sheets; transfer to wire racks.
Cool completely. Store tightly covered.
 Prep Time: 20 min Cook Time Time: 9 min Yield About 36 Cookies"

'via Blog this'

Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes With Cream Cheese Drizzle

I Had to share this awesome recipe I found on The Skinny Chick

Mini Pumpkin Bundt Cakes

This is easy to make and makes a great presentation
for entertaining. One of her tricks is using a product called Baker's Joy but if you cant find it you can use shortening and dust your pans with a light dusting of flour, the way my grandmother taught me when baking cakes to make them fall out of the pan clean, no sticking.
Check out her recipe...........Yummy!!
The Skinny Chick Blog

Sugar Cookie Bars

I found this recipe on  A Creative Princess and wanted to share it here............ While I was checking out linkies in Sunday I found this "yummylicious" cookie,my favorite from childhood but a whole lot easier, bake all at once and you have sugar cookie bars!

Sugar Cookie Bars with Cream-Cheese Butter Frosting 

Ingredients
1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla extract
5 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
parchment paper

*(Notes in parentheses are mine, just like this one.  )

Directions…
Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. (I beat the butter and sugar together, for about 5 minutes, until it was really light and fluffy.)  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla extract and mix well. In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a wire whisk to mix well. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread dough onto a greased(I used parchment paper lined) 13 x 18 baking sheet. (I like parchment, ’cause there is, absolutely, no sticking. JMO.  ) Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. The bars won’t look done so do the toothpick test. Cool completely and then frost.

Frosting…
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
5 cups powdered sugar
1 tbsp. milk
food coloring (if desired)
sprinkles (of course)

Directions…
Combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla extract and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1 cup increments until combined, then add milk and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Spread over cooled sugar cookie bars.

Photo borrowed from  Lady With The Red Rocker

This frosting is to die for! When I made it, I only had 4 cups of powdered sugar, so I just omitted the milk.  Let me tell you, I could have eaten the whole bowl, with a spoon, it was that good!

Enjoy!