I make these all the time. so easy, and they look impressive.

Also, after Halloween, instead of just regular chocolate, I've been known to raid the candy bucket for the little squares of milky way, 3 musketeers, and snickers and put those in the middle of the puff pastry. You will need to seal the edges on all sides if you do that though, or too much of the chocolate will run out.

I've got a really amazing recipe for praline pancakes lying around somewhere. I'm going to need to dig it out since I haven't made those in years.

My granny had me in the kitchen cooking and baking from the time I could stand on a stool and measure flour. I like to bake damn near anything, and I'm constantly feeding my friends.

Tonight I ventured into the world of baking doughnuts, and I was completely surprised how easy it was. The doughnuts came out perfect and so good. I was amazed.

I baked mini cheesecakes yesterday, they came out amazing

That would be the single most dangerous thing I could bake (because I would devour them all the second they were done).

I love to cook, love to bake. However, I'm in an apartment with a gas stove, which has really cut into my culinary expertise. I know, I know, most people prefer gas. I have some horrible childhood memories of gas stoves (including two of my friends' mothers dying from the fumes) and it would take more therapy for me to use a gas stove than it's worth. My toaster oven is working overtime!

I do, however, collect recipes, and occasionally post some on facebook. Right now, I'm playing with a standard cookie base, with various add-ins. I tried them with malted milk balls and they were to die for!

"My" cheesecake recipe:

Very easy and you can make them in cupcake wrappers as well. Made tiny ones yesterday.

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/3...rry-cheesecake

I make mini cheesecakes in cupcake wrappers. The last ones I did, I used an Oreo in the bottom of each cupcake wrapper and put Bailey's cheesecake in them (recipe here: http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,196,...229207,00.html). I melted some chocolate melts and put them in a bag and just drizzled chocolate over the top of them to make them more decorative. They were the hit of the work Christmas party.

ETA: You only have to bake them about 25 minutes when in the cupcake papers instead of the spring form pan.

Ok, so the wife of my boss makes the absolute best chocolate cookies ever. EVER. She closely guards her secret recipe. They are always thick, but light and fluffy. They are perfect. CCCs are not my favorite cookie, but I enjoy making them for others. I have tried and tried again to replicate her recipe, with no luck. Last time I tried was last weekend. All I know of her recipe is that she uses butter flavored crisco, because my boss has seen the wrappers in the trash when she bakes them. I've tried using cake flour instead of all purpose flour. I've chilled the dough before baking. I've used baking powder instead of baking soda. Nada. I've made some great cookies, but they do not maintain their thickness like hers do.

Any ideas?

Maybe they are a frozen dough recipe, some of them don't spread out as much.

I have two thoughts about this:
1) Beat the crisco, sugar and eggs very well before adding the flour mixture, and
2) Try adding some Cream of Tartar to the flour mixture. It's the ingredient that makes Snickerdoodles so soft/fluffy.

Wow, you guys impress me!

Today I am making/baking traditional rice pudding in the oven. I'm also making vegan rice pudding in the crockpot.

I just LOVE the vegan rice pudding- the traditional one is for my husband's mother. My husband told me that I looked like Betty Crocker, standing at the stove (in a 1950's apron) stirring the milk, sugar and rice until it boiled!