So I've been on this baking kick...

Over the past few months, I've been compiling a list of recipes that I need to try.  I actually really enjoy baking, but the problem comes when I have a ton of food and no one to help me eat it.  Baking is a yummy hobby, but definitely not good for the waistline...

Anyways, here are a few things that I've tried recently:

1.  Pink Lemonade Cake

This is a Pillsbury cake mix that is out for the summer (usually available at Walmart, or some Targets).  I was a little skeptical, but ended up being very pleased with the results!  You can buy matching frosting (ew.), but I used Lemon Poke Cake frosting instead (lemon pudding mix, 1 cup of milk, and cool whip...mmmm!), which was a MUCH better decision.  Overall, I thought the taste of the cake was good - it's very light and not too lemony.  I'm pretty sure the oven in my apartment was acting up though, since the cake rose more on one side than the other....weird.

2.  Key Lime Cookies

Also a summer Pillsbury mix.  I sadly did not take a picture of them, but if you can get past the bright green color of these cookies, they are actually quite delicious!  Very limey, and they have crunchies on the inside!  I'm always partial to cookies with crunchies, since they remind me of the lemon crisp cookies I make at Christmas.

3.  French Toast Casserole

My sister and I have long been on a hunt for this recipe.  I ended up using this one:  http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/puffy-french-toast-casserole-90607.aspx.  My best friend's mom always made french toast casserole when we had sleepovers, and I have wanted to learn how to make it ever since!  The recipe I used wasn't quite as good as hers, so I'm still on the look out for the right one, but this was definitely a good start!

4.  Milky Way Salted Caramel Cookies

I just made these this past weekend with my dear friends from college (see next post about our reunion!).  You can find the recipe here:  http://www.instructables.com/id/Milky-Way-Salted-Caramel-Cookies/.  A few things about this recipe: (a) it takes longer to cook than you think - it's easy to take them out when the bottom isn't done cooking (b) the batter is DELICIOUS (c) eat when completely cooled.  It's a little too goupy if you eat them fresh out of the oven.  Plus, you don't really get to taste the sea salt until it's cooled.

I could have done with just using a caramel in the middle instead of a milky way...the chocolate of the milky way kinda got in the way.  But still, these were definitely a yummy choice!