Easy Sugar Cookie Orange Cream Mini Tarts

 
These little tarts have been all the rage on Pinterest lately. I ignored them for awhile, because sometimes small things are more time consuming to make than the regular size. However, I had a Young Living Girls Night Out last week, and knew these would be perfect!

Now, I also know the rage is all homemade, no mixes, no preservatives, right?   If I had had more time and energy, I would have made my own cookie batter.  I've also wanted to try my hand at pastry cream, but this was not the time for it.  If any of you have a great recipe, let me know!

So, I went with simple.  Sugar Cookie mix, and Instant Pudding.  Of course, since it was a Young Living Girls Night Out, I had to include Essential Oils! 

These were a huge hit at the party.  A little on the sweet side... which motivates me even more to make my own pastry cream.  But, really, really good.  

This is a Life Diffused recipe, which means it contains Young Living Essential Oils. This one includes this amazing oil:

Young Living Orange Essential Oil

Sugar Cookie Orange Cream Mini Tarts
Double Dipped Life - Life Diffused 

1 box Sugar Cookie mix (or make your own!) 
Ingredients to make sugar cookies 
1 box Instant Vanilla pudding.  Cheesecake would also be yummy! 
2 cups milk
3-4 drops of Young Living Orange Essential Oil  (Lime, Grapefruit, Lemon, or Citrus Fresh would also be good!)
Strawberries, sliced thin
1 Orange peel, grated

Special tools needed:
 Mini cupcake pan


Preheat the oven to 350.  Spray a mini cupcake pan with cooking spray. 
Mix the Sugar Cookie dough as directed on package, or make your own.  Roll the dough into Tablespoon sized balls. Place the balls into the mini cupcake pan. 
Bake for 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
After baking, take the handle of a large wooden spoon, and poke a hole in the center of the dough. You might need more than one hole, and to stretch the dough as you poke.  
Let the shells cool. 

Make the pudding according to package directions.  Stir in a few drops of Orange Oil, and taste. Add more if needed. Refrigerate pudding until set. 

Fill the tart shells with the pudding mix.  Place strawberry slices on top, and sprinkle with Orange peel.  Serve cold. 

Enjoy! 

 Young Living Orange Essential Oil is fantastic for flavoring food and drink. Did you also know it's great for skin? I use it in my homemade face wash, and as a toner.  It's a pretty cheap oil, cost wise. It retails at $14, or get it wholesale for $10!  

How do you get wholesale prices?  See my Young Living Oil post, or click on my Membership link. 
Email me at DoubleDippedLife@gmail.com with any questions! 




 
 

Life Diffused... it starts now!

Introducing...

Life Diffused

Life Diffused is my new name for my Oily Journey.  It's a way of life, a way to merge Essential Oils with Food, Family, and Fun! You'll see new recipes posted that incorporate these incredible supplements!   Here's my story...

We all take many journeys' through life. As I've dealt with Fibromyalgia the last 9 years, my quality of life hasn't been great.  I'm always tired, in pain, and just not well. My brain is fuzzy, and I have zero motivation. I used to take prescriptions for this... and they didn't help much.  In fact, some of the side effects were worse than the syndrome.

Last January, I was tired of being sick.  I had been off of all prescriptions for 3 years. While, I was doing better overall, I was still sick.  I was seeing posts by a friend of mine about Essential Oils. And I thought about it...

Aren't Essential Oils just "snake oil"?
 No! Essential Oils have actually been around since ancient times. They're mentioned in the Bible, and are reference in numerous medical tomes. 

How would I know I was getting a good product?
 Research. I looked at Young Living, which was the company my friend uses. I was sold when I saw this graphic. 

 
How could I afford these?
Think about all the products you use on a daily basis. Soap, face wash, moisturizer, makeup, cleaning supplies, energy drinks, vitamins, minerals, etc.  You pay for those, don't you? When you replace them with ALL NATURAL alternatives, the cost evens out.  To date, I've replaced my body wash, my facial moisturizer (morning and night cream), face wash, toner, bathroom and kitchen hand soap, energy supplements, and super food drinks. I'm still working on the cleaning supplies.  The most dramatic change of all? I used to take Excedrin 4-5 times a week.  Now?  I don't remember the last time I took one.  Yes, I still have pain, but it's occasional and much lighter than before! 

And the most important question of all... Would they really work? 

  YES!

I've already noted my decrease in man-made, synthetic pain medications. With Young Living, I have found my energy levels increasing.  My head is clearer.  My passion for life is back! The beauty supplies- whether homemade with oils, or purchased as is- are amazing! My skin is much clearer and smoother than it used to be... and my wrinkles are lighter! 

Now, the disclaimer... This is my personal experience.  The same oils or supplements might work differently on you.  I can't say that these are a cure for any specific disease. 

But, if you want a healthier, happier life... then get started! 

How do I get started?

Young Living offers two options to purchase their products.  Retail or Wholesale.  The best deal is to purchase the Premium Starter Kit and become a wholesale member.  You will save 24% on future orders.  The Premium Starter Kit is amazing. It has hundreds of uses!  

Now through August 31, get $10 off a Starter Kit!

Take a look!

I'm not in Young Living to make money. You can earn money with it, and I won't turn the money down, but it isn't about that.  I have found a fabulous product that has changed my life. 

I need to share. 

Take a look on Pinterest for amazing uses and ideas! 

If you are interested, please use my member #2425488.  
Email questions to Doubledippedlife@gmail.com

Hummingbird Cake

Hello! Everyday, I'm receiving alerts on Facebook of new followers to my Double Dipped Sweets page. You are coming over from Pinterest, and I have to say, THANK YOU!

As a thank you gift, I finally made this cake that I've had my eye on for awhile. This cake is labor intensive. But, oh, my goodness, it's so full of flavor! It's a rich, dense cake; a mix between cake and bread. The flavors of banana and pineapple are perfect for this time of year, and it quickly became one of our favorites!

 Hummingbird Cake

 Adapted from boulderlocavore

Plan on 1-2 hours for prep and cook time.

Cake

3 cups flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup fresh pineapple, crushed (see below)   ** I used canned crushed pineapple with a little bit of juice.
2 cups roasted bananas*, mashed (approximately 4 large or 6 medium-small bananas with peel left on; instructions below)
1 cup chopped pecans
Parchment paper to line bottom of the cake pan **I sprayed the pans with flour/oil


Cream Cheese Frosting  **I used my own time tested frosting. The cold butter used in the original recipe didn't blend very well.

8 oz package cream cheese, softened

1/4 lb butter, softened

1 tsp vanilla

4 cup powdered sugar

1 ½ cups finely chopped pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. *Place bananas on a cookie sheet with peels left on. Bake in the oven for 12 minutes until the skins are black (the bananas may leak which is fine). Remove and let cool until they can be handled. Peel bananas, place in a small mixing bowl and mash. Set aside. Leave the oven heated to 350 degrees.
3. Butter and flour 3-9 inch round baking pans. Trace the bottom of the pan (for all three pans) onto parchment paper, cut out circle and place in the bottom of each pan.
4. In a sifter over a large mixing bowl combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Sift into the bowl. Set aside.
5. In a second large mixing bowl combine the granulated and brown sugar; stir to combine. Add the eggs and stir briskly by hand to combine all ingredients into a smooth mixture.
6. Whisk the oil and vanilla into the sugar/egg mixture until combined and smooth.
7. Add the flour mixture all at once and hand stir (do not beat) to combine the mixture fully.
8. To crush the pineapple: Place 1 cup of finely diced fresh pineapple in a medium mixing bowl and using a potato masher, crush the pineapple. Add the fruit and juice to the batter. Also add the mashed banana and the pecans. Stir just until combined; do not over stir.
9. Divide the batter evenly between the three pans. Tap the pans on the countertop to release any air bubbles and place in the 350 degree oven for 25-30 minutes until cake bounces back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
10. Allow to cool in pans on racks for 5 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks to fully cool before frosting. Be sure to peel off and discard the parchment paper.
Instructions for Cream Cheese Frosting:
11.  Blend all frosting ingredients together.
12. Fold in pecans by hand. 
Instructions for Cake Assembly:
13. Place the first layer of cake upside down (the bottom of the cake will be frosted) on the serving plate. Cover with 2/3 cup of frosting. This will be a thin covering.
14. Place the second layer of cake right side up (flat cake bottom onto the frosting) and frost the top of this layer with 2/3 cup again (note: I found I needed just a bit more to cover this layer).
15. Place the last cake layer with cake right side up and use the remaining frosting to cover top of cake and the sides.
16. 4. Allow cake to stand at room temperature 30 minutes before serving and store any uneaten cake in the refrigerator. Cake best when made the day prior to serving!

Enjoy!