Kate Gosselin's Love Is in the Mix (14 page)

Add the vanilla and continue mixing. Slowly add the cocoa powder and confectioners’ sugar, and then add the milk, a tablespoon or two at a time, until all of the ingredients have been added. Whip on high for 2 to 3 minutes.

Allow the cake to cool. Place one layer of the cake on a plate and frost the top with a thick even layer of frosting. Place the other layer carefully on top and evenly frost the top and the sides of both layers.

Decorate with gummy candy or M&Ms.

M
y kids and I developed this new favorite recipe together one afternoon while baking hundreds of cookies and other baked goods to package and freeze for their lunch boxes. I try to change it up so that they look forward to the dessert in their lunches—nothing says love more than a fresh-baked goodie in the middle of a long school day. It’s my way of giving them a long-distance hug! These cookies make my kids feel that warmth, and they especially love this kind because we first created and baked them together.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the sugars, butter, eggs, vanilla, and milk together.

In a medium bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together.

Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients using a hand mixer. Add the oats and dates to the mixture, stirring by hand.

Combine the cinnamon and sugar in a small bowl. Form the dough into walnut-sized balls and roll in the cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.

Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for approximately 10 to 11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on a cookie sheet for 2 minutes before removing.

T
his is one cookie recipe that is easy for even young kids to help make. I mix up the ingredients and then transfer the dough to smaller bowls and provide a spoon and a sheet of wax paper for each child. They enjoy spooning their own cookies onto their own wax paper. These cookies are delicious for chocoholics or peanut-butter lovers.

In a large pot, combine the sugar, milk, salt, and cocoa and bring to a boil for 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the mixture.

Remove from the heat and add the vanilla, the peanut butter, and the oatmeal. Place wax paper on the counter and, using a teaspoon, drop the mixture onto the wax paper in teaspoon-sized balls. (Be careful because the mixture will be hot, so handle with spoons, not fingers!) Allow the cookies to cool and harden for 20 to 30 minutes on the counter.

While these cookies never last long in my house, you can keep these for several days in a sealed container on a counter or in the fridge.

T
hese are my version of lemon squares, much like the ones my Aunt Helen used to make. I used to sit at the table as a young girl eating my lemon square dessert while pretending I was Miss James, my second-grade teacher. Always the last kid at the table, chatting away to myself—it drove my mom crazy that I ate so slowly. Now I have a daughter just like myself (which my mom wished on me for many reasons, this being one of them, I think!), and her name is Alexis. She drives me crazy, and I love her for it!

I have such fond memories of my favorite childhood dessert. And now I make these lemon squares and pack them full of that same love for my kids—and laugh every time Alexis lingers with her lemon square, chatting away to herself, just like I did.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking dish.

Place the shortbread cookies in a gallon Ziploc bag and seal. Crush the cookies using a rolling pin, until evenly and finely crushed. Pour into a medium mixing bowl and add the flour, confectioners’ sugar, and salt. Mix well and then blend in the melted butter. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of a greased pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

In the same mixing bowl, beat the eggs until fluffy. Add the baking powder, sugar, and flour. Mix well and then add the lemon juice.

Pour over the readied crust and return to the oven. Bake for an additional 28 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cool completely, dust with confectioners’ sugar, and cut into bars.

T
he smell of pumpkin bread in our house means that fall has arrived! This becomes an irresistible dessert when I cut each slice into bite-sized nibbles and top with a dollop of my
Cream Cheese Icing
. Oh so yummy …

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour four 1-pound loaf pans.

Mix together the eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and the spices. Then add the pumpkin, sour cream, milk, baking soda, and flour until well blended.

In a microwave-safe bowl, cover the raisins with water and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, until the water comes to a boil and the raisins soften. Drain very well and then mix them into the batter by hand.

Pour the batter into the loaf pans, filling each about halfway full. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each comes out clean.