Half Moon Chocolate Cake Mix Cookies

For all of you that know me and read my blog, I am from Upstate Utica, N.Y. We have some of the best bakeries in the world there, at least to me.

These are a semi-homemade Halfmoon and if you have followed me in the past know, I always make mine from scratch.

If you are in a huge hurry and want a quick fix and aren't a baker, then this is the recipe for you using any flavored cake mix.

Today we are making white half-moon cookies and chocolate half-moon cookies that taste practically homemade.

You can enjoy these in no time at all without running out of time to make special treats like this one.

This recipe will come in handy for all us working folks and moms who just run out of time with making things for school functions, benefits, large parties, and just because they're so good. Did I mention you use a cake mix?

Oh yes and you can make all kinds of flavored cake mixes and also frost them to whatever theme is going on. Fast to be a quick fix and pretty darn good!

Also, use coordinating tinted frostings for the cake mixes you choose to use.

I have to say these are definitely pretty darn good and the kids loved them!

Cake Mix Recipes are fun, we love creating quick recipes from doctored cake mixes like this Dark Fudge Chocolate Cake or Carrot Cake that tastes like it was baked from scratch.

I love the spice cake with an orange-tinted cream cheese frosting and a little sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar on top, the perfect fall flavors!

Well, I know what you're thinking about a doctored cake mix, so here is the original recipe just in case this isn't your idea of homemade at all.

Do try the original recipe when you have time and as always thanks for visiting me today.

Mom's Mushroom Stew

Many years ago mom would make this Mushroom Stew many times during cold wintery snow days


We would pour this fabulous sauce over homemade crusty Italian bread, a vintage old recipe from childhood in Central New York.


It was actually a specialty in many local Italian Restaurants there in Utica, New York, and still is.


Always a Tuesday special somewhere in good ole Utica also referred to as "Little Italy".


Lucky for us our mom Margaret Ann Fanelli Colenzo was such a great cook we never had to visit those local establishments and at one time she even owned her own Italian deli.


Well to date I still make this even though the recipe now if around 90 years old because she learned from her mom.


Amazing the years that go by we still can remember through home-cooked meals the wonderful memories, aroma's and keep them going generation to generation.


Simple, easy, and just plain delicious.


The second recipe is from my late Aunt Mary Di Orio who always used Italian sausage in her recipe also very delicious.


I have both recipes in the printable recipe card below, just scroll to the end to print it off.

Italian Raspberry Jam Filled Cookies

Italian Raspberry Jam Filled Shortbread Cookie is the most asked for cookies I make around the holiday.

The cookie freezes well to make ahead of time, travel great without crumbling and taste fabulous any time of the day.

Another perfect thing about this cookie is the dough.

You can use a cookie cutter into any shape you like.

These were made to look a lot like Linzer cookies because of the little cutout in the middles.

You can shape them into stars, snowflakes or even as a snowman for the holiday season.

The dough is versatile, any jams will go great, we just happen to love raspberry jam and it's perfect in color for the holiday.

I do keep this one special for my Christmas cookie tray.

It's so festive with a little powdery sugar and reminds me of snow, and really adds a warm holiday spirit to my cookie trays.

Mom and I use to make these shortbreads when I was a little girl and being raspberry, we had tried all kinds of other jams but always came back to raspberry.

I hope your family likes them as much as we do, enjoy this recipe.

Please share the joy of the season with others.

Print this out at the end, a great way to give a cookie tray with the recipe attached for gift giving.

Fried Bologna and Caponata

Another one of those childhood memories, fried bologna, and caponata.

Mom would start to make the Caponata fresh from scratch and Dad would fry the Bologna.

There are many versions from many different kinds made of Caponata, we always added bologna to ours.

Every part of Italy seems to make this a little different.

This was the Bari style, where mom's family was from.

Dad was from Rome, not sure who started adding the fried bologna, as that came later, but we loved it.

The Caponata could be served so many different ways after it was cooked, over pasta, in the best hot crusty Italian Ciabatta bread, or even with rice.

Dad worked at a local bakery and always brought home a loaf of hot crusty bread to enjoy with this in a sandwich.

The sauce is delicious in this caponata and makes a great meal economically.

If you grew up on fried bologna, to me this is a gourmet-style enhanced version.

The filling if amazing but the hard crusty rolls or bread made this perfection.

Scroll down to get dad's recipe for Bologna and Caponata.

Apples,Tips Facts and Recipe

Fried Cauliflower

This fried cauliflower is a huge favorite appetizer in our Italian family. The herbs and spices in this batter complement the cauliflower perfectly.

It has a nice crisp crunch on the outside and soft fried cauliflower inside. These appetizers taste great plain or dipped in your favorite sauces.

Growing up in East Utica, New York, my mom made these often for an appetizer before a big Holiday Italian meal.

Now, I carry on that same tradition with my children.

I think of my mom and dad often in the kitchen and the foods we grew up on when I cook them they keep their memory alive in the kitchen. 

This little appetizer is just perfect for the Holiday season, I always make them on Thanksgiving and around Christmas time. That's when most of the family gets together for a big meal.

But now, everyone loves them so much, we make them all year round!

These really are addicting!

If you want an appetizer that will fly off the plates, this is it!

Scroll down to see this easy cauliflower recipe, it's perfect with any meal.

Apple Cake Cups

These apple cake cups are a great little dessert made in cupcake tins.

The cake batter is all homemade from scratch and the apple topping can be made fresh or using pie filling.

The cake is much like a homemade pound cake and delicious in texture and flavor.

These little gems are the perfect fall treat when you're an apple lover. It was mom's favorite "go-to" recipe, in apple season.

This apple cake cup recipe is over 100 years old and been in our family for a very long time.

We grew up with orchards in Upstate New York and apples were plentiful.

I love this recipe and wanted to share mom's recipe with my readers and hope you enjoy it as much as we have through the years.

They are perfect for one person, parties, a family gets together or when unexpected arrives and you need a quick delicious and decadent apple dessert.

These little apple cups are the perfect quick dessert because they are individual treats that can be frozen and thawed in no time.

With a pretty garnish of whipped cream or ice cream, they turn into pretty ending to your fine meal.

Check out all my tips before you scroll down to the recipe.

Best Ever Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you're a fan of the irresistible combination of creamy peanut butter and rich chocolate, these Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies are about to become your new favorite treat.

These cookies strike the perfect balance between chewy, soft centers and golden, slightly crisp edges, and are loaded with melty chocolate chips and a decadent peanut butter flavor in every bite.

Whether you’re baking for the cookie exchange holidays, need a delicious cookie for a potluck, or you're having a peanut butter dessert craving, this nostalgic homemade cookie recipe will deliver every time.

These classic cookies are simple, pantry-friendly ingredients, plus they are made in one bowl, and no chill time is another bonus to making the best peanut butter chip cookies ever!

Cake Mix Eggnog Cake

Making this semi-homemade Eggnog cake is so easy using a doctored cake mix!

The cake is moist and delicious and totally a great way to use up any leftover homemade eggnog from the holidays.

Really just the title of Eggnog Cake shouts Holiday and is perfect for bringing to a party or to serving some last-minute unexpected guests during the busy Christmas season.

If you're a busy homemaker who works from home, busy with kids, has a job outside the home, or maybe just not fond of baking, this recipe is the perfect delicious holiday cake.

Even if you don't decorate it, this cake tastes marvelous just dusted with powdered sugar!

I love it topped with whipped cream and sliced bananas with caramel topping or a homemade buttercream rum frosting with eggnog in it!

This eggnog cake tastes great plain or frosted and just shouts Holiday!

If you want my Dad's recipe for eggnog click here or grandma's eggnog bread pudding click here.

You're going to get lots of compliments on this one for sure!


Scroll down to the recipe card to print this off and pin it for later when you need a great recipe like this one!