Peeps Sunflower Cake

INGREDIENTS
1 package yellow cake mix
1 & 1/4 cups milk
1/3 cup butter, softened
3 eggs
2 cans chocolate frosting
4 packages Yellow Chick Peeps Candy - I needed 17 Peeps
Chocolate chips


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottom and sides of two 9-inch round pans.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, milk, butter and eggs on low speed for about 30 seconds and then on medium for 2 minutes.
3. Pour the batter evenly between the two cake pans.
4. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick poked in the center of the cake comes out clean.
5. Cool the cakes in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
6. Level the tops of the cakes once cooled.
7. Spread chocolate frosting on the top of one of your cakes - I used about 3/4 of one of the cans of frosting - reserve the remaining 1/4 of the frosting
8. Place your other cake on top of the frosted cake to make a double layer.
9. Spread the second container chocolate frosting over the top and sides of the cake - do not use the reserved 1/4.
10. Let the frosted cake sit in the refrigerator for the icing to become firm - I let mine sit overnight in my cake caddy.
11. Using the reserved 1/4 of the frosting, add a thin layer of frosting to the outer edge of the top of the cake - this will act as the glue for the Peeps
12. Curve the Peeps slightly without separating them and arrange around the edge of the cake on top of the 'glue' frosting layer.  The Peeps become your sunflower petals.
13. Arrange the chocolate chips in circles in the center of the cake working to the outer edge to become the sunflower seeds.

NOTES
I thought assembling the decorations for this cake was going to be a challenge but it turned out to be surprisingly easy!


~Recipe Inspired by Taste Of Homes

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

Easter Basket Cookies

INGREDIENTS
Simple Butter Cookie Dough
White Icing of choice - I used Wilton Buttercream
Green food coloring
Colored Sugar - I used pink, yellow and orange
Jelly Beans
Pipe Cleaners - I used pink, yellow and orange to match the sugars

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Grease your mini muffin tin.
2. Roll the Butter Cookie dough into balls large enough to almost fill the mini muffin tin - remember this dough does not rise
3. Roll the dough balls into your colored sugar and place in the mini muffin tin.
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Allow the cookies to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Add drops of the green food coloring to your icing until you get your desired shade of green - think Easter Basket 'grass'
6. Once your cookies have completely cooled, use your green icing to frost the tops of the cookies.
7. Place the jelly beans on top of the frosting as 'eggs' - I was able to get 2 on each cookie.
8. Insert the pipe cleaner into the top of your cookie for the basket handle.


~Recipe Inspired by Betty Crocker

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Tator Tot Casserole

INGREDIENTS
2 cups frozen green beans
2 cups frozen carrots
1 cup frozen broccoli
1 cup frozen onion & pepper blend
1 can (11 ounces) corn niblets
1 can (10.75 ounces) can cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
1 bag frozen tator tots


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2.5 quart casserole dish.
2. In a large saucepan, combine all vegetables, soup and milk.
3. Cook over medium heat just until warm.
4. Transfer the vegetables and soup to the casserole dish.
5. Cover the top of the casserole with the tator tots - I used about 1/2 to 3/4 of a bag.
6. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes or until the soup mixture is bubbling and tator tots have browned.


~Recipe inspired by Recipes of Family Heritage

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THIS RECIPE PROUDLY LINKED TO: A Southern Fairytale, Flour Me With Love