We had bought some blueberries on sale, and after snacking on some & making blueberry pancakes. Curt requested that I bake something up with the rest of them. As good as my mom's muffins are, he was kind of wanting something else-maybe with a crumb topping he said. So I literally googled "blueberry bar with crumb topping" or "blueberry with crumb topping" and sorted through results-and decided on this...Blueberry Cobbler. The results: super easy, had all the ingredients on hand, and super tasty.
Blueberry Cobbler
Ingredients:
1/3 c light brown sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
(zest of 1 lemon called for, I didn't have this & did not add it)
1/2 c cold butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 c fresh blueberries
1/3 c light brown sugar (2/3 c total)
1 tbsp flour
Directions:
-Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spray an 8x8inch pan with cooking spray
-Combine 1/3 c brown sugar, flour, baking powder, and cinnamon.
-Cut in cold butter until mixture is coarse
-Add egg and mix just until blended
-Pat 2/3 of dough into prepared pan
-Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes
-Remove the pan & let cool for 10 minutes
-Turn oven down to 375 degrees
-Combine remaining 1/3 c brown sugar, 1 tbsp flour, and blueberries, & sprinkle over crust
-Crumble remaining mixture over the blueberries
-Bake at 375 degrees for 30 mins or until top is lightly browned
-Allow to cool before cutting.
This was soooo tasty warm, but equally as delicious at room temperature- the topping has a little crunch and a nice sweetness. Adding the lemon zest would make it a little more tart & fitting for the blueberries, but it was great without it! I didn't get pictures taken until the day after-so that's why it's half gone already. The fact that on Curt's first bite he couldn't manage words, only shake his head & motion at the cobbler was satisfying enough for me. I'm thinking now I should try different fruits- raspberry anyone? mmmm. enjoy :)
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Cookies 'n Creme Crispies
Yet again, I've been neglecting the blog. I swear I've been cooking still...just not as much. And when I have time, I'm wedding planning. Still caught up in the excitement of the wedding & ideas & planning...thanks pinterest! Here is something I did make this past weekend- combining some recipes I had and just taking a shot in the dark it would taste good. Well...these were good, almost too good. I brought the treats into the pharmacy so I wouldn't eat them all. It's basically just jazzing up rice crispies- which are easy enough to make!
Cookies 'n Creme Crispies
Ingredients:
-5 tbsp butter
-1 (10.5 oz) bag mini marshmallows
-1/3 c dry white cake mix
-6-8 crushed oreos (I honestly didn't count, just broke up some cookies)
-5-6 c Cocoa Krispies (can't remember if I used 5 or 6 cups...I added 4 cups, and it still looked really marshmallow-y & sticky, so added another cup- and maybe a 6th? use your judgement)
-Baker's white chocolate squares or use white chocolate chips
- ~3-4 crushed oreos for topping
Directions:
-Melt butter & marshmallows in a large bowl in microwave
-Add dry cake mix & stir/incorporate well
-Add crushed oreos & stir
-Add cocoa krispies & stir well
-Press in a greased 13x9 pan
-Crush the other 3-4 oreos & sprinkle over the top of the crispies
(I took the creme out of the middle & just crushed the cookie part)
-Melt white chocolate & drizzle over the crispies
(I put the chocolate down, then the oreo crumbs- these didn't stay on so well, so it may help putting
the oreos down first)
-cool about 30 mins before digging in :)
Hope your summer is off to a good start :)
Cookies 'n Creme Crispies
Ingredients:
-5 tbsp butter
-1 (10.5 oz) bag mini marshmallows
-1/3 c dry white cake mix
-6-8 crushed oreos (I honestly didn't count, just broke up some cookies)
-5-6 c Cocoa Krispies (can't remember if I used 5 or 6 cups...I added 4 cups, and it still looked really marshmallow-y & sticky, so added another cup- and maybe a 6th? use your judgement)
-Baker's white chocolate squares or use white chocolate chips
- ~3-4 crushed oreos for topping
 |
| Easy! But I wouldn't probably use Double Stuf again |
Directions:
-Melt butter & marshmallows in a large bowl in microwave
-Add dry cake mix & stir/incorporate well
-Add crushed oreos & stir
-Add cocoa krispies & stir well
-Press in a greased 13x9 pan
-Crush the other 3-4 oreos & sprinkle over the top of the crispies
(I took the creme out of the middle & just crushed the cookie part)
-Melt white chocolate & drizzle over the crispies
(I put the chocolate down, then the oreo crumbs- these didn't stay on so well, so it may help putting
the oreos down first)
-cool about 30 mins before digging in :)
 |
| mmm pan of cookies 'n creme goodness |
 |
| chocolate, cake mix, cookies, & creme- could it get better??? |
Thursday, May 24, 2012
I smell a wedding!!!
Exciting news everyone...I'm ENGAGED!!! Crazy stuff, right? It happened the same day I last blogged- and I figured I'd post on here what I've accomplished so far & share the ring for those of you who may not see it on facebook! I'm such a lucky girl- Curt designed the ring himself- the one I had wanted wasn't available anymore, and he didn't really like similar ones, so he designed the setting & picked out each diamond- so I have a one-of-a-kind ring, which makes it even more special!
And for months now I've had a vision of creating a little surprise to ask my friends if they'd be a bridesmaid in my wedding. I got the idea from pinterest, not going to lie- but I only saw one pin, and whoever had put the present together was much more crafty & had more money to work with than I. But I still wanted something fun- you only get to do this once! So I bought some cheap, fun, colorful leis, mini plastic martini glasses, and then a bag to put them in....and below are the results! I wrote the bridesmaid's name on the "glass" and thought we could wear them for the bachelorette party-hows that for thinking ahead ;)
This whole project cost maybe $15, then the money to mail them to 4 different states-luckily they are light!
And I couldn't leave the flower girl out, so I improvised hers a little bit, and to personalize hers cost an additional $1- TOTAL for 6 bridesmaids & 1 flower girl, plus postage- LESS than $25!!!
Now here's hoping I can continue on my creative ways to help keep costs contained...but I'm soooo excited to do more crafty things!
I tried 3 new recipes this past week too, so I will promise to try and post those on here soon! If I don't before the weekend, hope you all enjoy the long weekend with Memorial Day & kick off summer on a great note :)
 |
| Wow! It's hard to take a good picture of a ring!!! |
And for months now I've had a vision of creating a little surprise to ask my friends if they'd be a bridesmaid in my wedding. I got the idea from pinterest, not going to lie- but I only saw one pin, and whoever had put the present together was much more crafty & had more money to work with than I. But I still wanted something fun- you only get to do this once! So I bought some cheap, fun, colorful leis, mini plastic martini glasses, and then a bag to put them in....and below are the results! I wrote the bridesmaid's name on the "glass" and thought we could wear them for the bachelorette party-hows that for thinking ahead ;)
 |
| the "goods" -plastic martini glasses, sparkly leis, craft paper bags, scrapbook paper, lacy ribbon |
 |
| all sealed up- nothing fancy, but I thought they were cute! |
 |
| The finished product- showcasing what was inside! |
This whole project cost maybe $15, then the money to mail them to 4 different states-luckily they are light!
And I couldn't leave the flower girl out, so I improvised hers a little bit, and to personalize hers cost an additional $1- TOTAL for 6 bridesmaids & 1 flower girl, plus postage- LESS than $25!!!
 |
| Perfect for a 4 year old girl, right? |
 |
| Bought a flower-mirror party favor for 25 cents & added her name to it- a flower for the flower girl!!! |
I tried 3 new recipes this past week too, so I will promise to try and post those on here soon! If I don't before the weekend, hope you all enjoy the long weekend with Memorial Day & kick off summer on a great note :)
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Cheesecake Bars!
Holy man...it's been WAY too long since I've had time to post on this blog. I am FINALLY done with rotations...this last one was brutal. I've barely had time to cook, barely had time to pinterest & get ideas! But don't worry people, now that it's time to start studying for boards, I'll be looking for procrastination ideas-such as cooking & sharing my recipes with you all! yay!
So for my last day on rotation I wanted to try something super easy to bring in-and have leftovers that Curt could take to work. Found this EASY recipe for cheesecake bars. It was based on a box of chocolate cake mix, but made a second batch with funfetti cake mix & they were even better.mmmm.
Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
(for base)-
1 box cake mix (I used chocolate fudge & a funfetti cake mix-two separate pans, not together!)
1 egg
1 stick butter, soft
(for cheesecake)-
2 (8oz) cream cheese, soft
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Beat cake mix, egg, and butter until it turns into a thick dough, & press in a greased 13x9 pan
-In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, add sugar, eggs, & vanilla & beat until smooth
-Pour cheesecake layer over cake mix base
-Bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges start pulling away from the edge of the pans
-Cool completely
Other- With the chocolate cake mix, I threw in some mini chocolate chips in the cheesecake layer, and with the funfetti cake base I added sprinkles into the cheesecake layer. Feel free to add any toppings as well- frosting, chopped candy bars perhaps, chocolate shavings, even fruit! I'm super excited to try these with a red velvet cake mix base. mmm. Enjoy everyone, and check back soon for more recipes!!!
So for my last day on rotation I wanted to try something super easy to bring in-and have leftovers that Curt could take to work. Found this EASY recipe for cheesecake bars. It was based on a box of chocolate cake mix, but made a second batch with funfetti cake mix & they were even better.mmmm.
Cheesecake Bars
Ingredients:
(for base)-
1 box cake mix (I used chocolate fudge & a funfetti cake mix-two separate pans, not together!)
1 egg
1 stick butter, soft
(for cheesecake)-
2 (8oz) cream cheese, soft
1/2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Beat cake mix, egg, and butter until it turns into a thick dough, & press in a greased 13x9 pan
-In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth, add sugar, eggs, & vanilla & beat until smooth
-Pour cheesecake layer over cake mix base
-Bake for 30-35 minutes or until edges start pulling away from the edge of the pans
-Cool completely
Other- With the chocolate cake mix, I threw in some mini chocolate chips in the cheesecake layer, and with the funfetti cake base I added sprinkles into the cheesecake layer. Feel free to add any toppings as well- frosting, chopped candy bars perhaps, chocolate shavings, even fruit! I'm super excited to try these with a red velvet cake mix base. mmm. Enjoy everyone, and check back soon for more recipes!!!
 |
| cake mix base, cheesecake top |
 |
| Funfetti on the left, chocolate fudge on the right...mmm |
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Chocolate Tres Leches cake...yup!
HAPPY EASTER everyone! And happy return of my blog after a gazillion days off! (sorry, exaggerating. you KNOW what happens when you exaggerate...(Dane Cook reference)) Sorry..been busy- rotation (slave labor) and real work and moving into a new apartment- where does time go? Remind me what sleep is?
Hope you guys all got to enjoy Easter with family, friends, or someone special at least! I was lucky enough to spend all day with Curt & Jethro and got to try a new recipe for a work picnic we had today at a park by the lake! My boss LOVES Tres Leches cake a ton, so I found a recipe for CHOCOLATE tres leches cake! heck yeah! and- it was a hit! easy, moist, and delish. Here you go, if you are up for some pure yumminess!
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients-
-1 Devils food cake mix (& ingredients to prepare per box)
-1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
-1 (5 fl oz) can evaporated milk (or 3/4 c)
-3/4 c 1/2 and 1/2
-1 tsp vanilla
-3 tbsp cocoa powder
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
Directions:
-Prepare & bake cake according to box in a 13x9 pan
-Combine milks (sweetened condensed, evaporated, and 1/2 and 1/2)
-Slowly whisk in cocoa and cinnamon & whisk until blended and add in vanilla
-Remove cake from oven & pierce with a metal fork/skewer or end of a spoon
-Pour 1/2 of milk mixture over the cake & let soak for 5 minutes (ish), then pour remainder over cake
-I made this the day before & the milk mixture really soaked in overnight- so it was super moist and DELISH- so much that I had to sneak a sample at breakfast. I didn't frost it, the first time I've EVER made ANY cake without frosting, but this was good without--- a glaze or light frosting or maybe some whipped cream would probably be tasty if you so choose.
Hopefully I can update the blog with the few recipes I've been saving up to add...and have a great Monday!
Hope you guys all got to enjoy Easter with family, friends, or someone special at least! I was lucky enough to spend all day with Curt & Jethro and got to try a new recipe for a work picnic we had today at a park by the lake! My boss LOVES Tres Leches cake a ton, so I found a recipe for CHOCOLATE tres leches cake! heck yeah! and- it was a hit! easy, moist, and delish. Here you go, if you are up for some pure yumminess!
Chocolate Tres Leches Cake
Ingredients-
-1 Devils food cake mix (& ingredients to prepare per box)
-1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
-1 (5 fl oz) can evaporated milk (or 3/4 c)
-3/4 c 1/2 and 1/2
-1 tsp vanilla
-3 tbsp cocoa powder
-1/2 tsp cinnamon
 |
| easy, right? (and cheap!) |
Directions:
-Prepare & bake cake according to box in a 13x9 pan
-Combine milks (sweetened condensed, evaporated, and 1/2 and 1/2)
-Slowly whisk in cocoa and cinnamon & whisk until blended and add in vanilla
 |
| looks...interesting. |
-Remove cake from oven & pierce with a metal fork/skewer or end of a spoon
-Pour 1/2 of milk mixture over the cake & let soak for 5 minutes (ish), then pour remainder over cake
 |
| ooo yeah! Chocolate! |
-I made this the day before & the milk mixture really soaked in overnight- so it was super moist and DELISH- so much that I had to sneak a sample at breakfast. I didn't frost it, the first time I've EVER made ANY cake without frosting, but this was good without--- a glaze or light frosting or maybe some whipped cream would probably be tasty if you so choose.
 |
| super moist & sweet & chocolate & GOOD. |
Hopefully I can update the blog with the few recipes I've been saving up to add...and have a great Monday!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Cherry Blossom Mini Cheesecakes!
With all this warm weather, I've been eating a LOT of ice cream. And you KNOW how much I love my ice cream....one of my favorite Culver's sundae ever was their Cherry Blossom sundaes (cherry pie filling & chocolate..mmm none of that maraschino stuff)- which were the sundae of the month every April & they stopped producing in 2006 :(
(why can I remember that but not remember things like do you store Cefprozil suspension in the fridge? when is generic Diovan coming out? What are important counseling points on glycopyrrolate including what the brand name is?. ugh.)
Anyways! My point was- that sundae was delish & I REALLY miss it! So here is my dedication to the sundae- introducing my cherry blossom mini cheesecakes- I consulted many of my recipes & miss-mashed them to create this recipe here:
Cherry Blossom Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients---
Crust:
-1 1/4 c crushed chocolate cookies (I use oreos & scrape out the cream...and eat some of the cream so it's not wasted!!!)
-3 tbsp butter
-1/4 (ish) c mini chocolate chips
Cheesecake:
-2 (8oz) cream cheese, room temp
-3/4 c white sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
-Hershey's syrup
Directions:
-to make the crust- crush chocolate cookies; melt butter & mix in cookie crumbs. let cool slightly & stir in chocolate chips. Press a spoonful of this mixture in the bottom of a lined cupcake pan- makes 18 (or so) cheesecakes
---I dropped a cherry from the pie filling on the top of the crust layer on every cheesecake
-Cheesecake- preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Beat the cream cheese until smooth, mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla
-Spoon some of the cherry syrup from the pie mix into the cheesecake batter & swirl (didn't measure, and mine didn't even look pretty it just all turned pink....can't say presentation is my strong suit)
-dispense batter evenly amongst cupcake pans
-bake for 20 minutes
-let the cheesecakes cool
----top with cherry pie filling & drizzle Hershey's syrup over the top
-store in refrigerator and ENJOY!
(why can I remember that but not remember things like do you store Cefprozil suspension in the fridge? when is generic Diovan coming out? What are important counseling points on glycopyrrolate including what the brand name is?. ugh.)
Anyways! My point was- that sundae was delish & I REALLY miss it! So here is my dedication to the sundae- introducing my cherry blossom mini cheesecakes- I consulted many of my recipes & miss-mashed them to create this recipe here:
Cherry Blossom Mini Cheesecakes
Ingredients---
Crust:
-1 1/4 c crushed chocolate cookies (I use oreos & scrape out the cream...and eat some of the cream so it's not wasted!!!)
-3 tbsp butter
-1/4 (ish) c mini chocolate chips
Cheesecake:
-2 (8oz) cream cheese, room temp
-3/4 c white sugar
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 (21 oz) can cherry pie filling
-Hershey's syrup
Directions:
-to make the crust- crush chocolate cookies; melt butter & mix in cookie crumbs. let cool slightly & stir in chocolate chips. Press a spoonful of this mixture in the bottom of a lined cupcake pan- makes 18 (or so) cheesecakes
 |
| chocolate! |
---I dropped a cherry from the pie filling on the top of the crust layer on every cheesecake
-Cheesecake- preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Beat the cream cheese until smooth, mix in the sugar, eggs, and vanilla
-Spoon some of the cherry syrup from the pie mix into the cheesecake batter & swirl (didn't measure, and mine didn't even look pretty it just all turned pink....can't say presentation is my strong suit)
 |
| I thought this was SUCH a great idea! but my skills were lacking! |
-dispense batter evenly amongst cupcake pans
 |
| mmm chocolate. cherry. cheesecake. what's not to love? |
-bake for 20 minutes
-let the cheesecakes cool
----top with cherry pie filling & drizzle Hershey's syrup over the top
 |
| these are kinda messy with the Hershey's syrup but oooo good stuff! |
-store in refrigerator and ENJOY!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Coco-Oat Chunk Cookies
mmmmm whipped up a new cookie recipe last night- and it's my first baking in over 2 weeks since I got sick- and let me tell you these are some yummy cookies! Easy, tasty, and nice & chewy.
Coco-Oat Chunk Cookies
Ingredients:
-1 c butter, softened
-1/2 c white sugar
-1/2 c brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 c all-purpose flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 1/2 c quick-cooking oats
-1 c flaked coconut (sweetened)
-hershey's milk chocolate candy bars
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Cream butter & sugars in bowl until light & fluffy
-Beat in egg and vanilla
-Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture & mix well
-Stir in oats & coconut
-Drop onto cooking sheets (I lined with parchment paper) (the dough is a little sticky, but you can roll into balls too and flatten slightly)
-Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned
-Break candy bars into squares
-Place a chocolate piece into the center of each warm cookie
These are awesome warm and are still nice and soft & chewy the next day....as for day 2, there aren't any left to test (haha)
Coco-Oat Chunk Cookies
Ingredients:
-1 c butter, softened
-1/2 c white sugar
-1/2 c brown sugar
-1 egg
-1 tsp vanilla
-2 c all-purpose flour
-1 tsp baking soda
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 1/2 c quick-cooking oats
-1 c flaked coconut (sweetened)
-hershey's milk chocolate candy bars
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Cream butter & sugars in bowl until light & fluffy
-Beat in egg and vanilla
-Combine flour, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture & mix well
-Stir in oats & coconut
-Drop onto cooking sheets (I lined with parchment paper) (the dough is a little sticky, but you can roll into balls too and flatten slightly)
-Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned
-Break candy bars into squares
-Place a chocolate piece into the center of each warm cookie
-Cool cookies, and EAT!
These are awesome warm and are still nice and soft & chewy the next day....as for day 2, there aren't any left to test (haha)
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Grilled APPs (grilled fruit in foil!)
Whoa whoa whoa- I know you're all thinking, did Kelli upgrade to a smart phone? she can't even get apps. If she has apps & how does she even know which ones are good? Nope, my APPs are apples, peaches & pineapples, & I grilled these up for a nice dessert after stuffing my face with a cheeseburger & onion rings. (Like I would feel less guilty overeating if I added in a little fruit instead of one of the chococaramelly brownies?).
Still...not creative with a name, and ate more than I should have. And I don't have an exact recipe for this, but it's one of those you can experiment with-if I can't mess it up, you can't either, I have faith!!!
Grilled fruit in foil! (keep it clean)
Ingredients:
-2 apples (I used gala)
-1 container sliced pineapple (or pineapple cut up fresh)
-1 package of frozen peaches (or peaches cut up fresh)
-any other fruits you enjoy eating- we thought blueberries, grapes, etc
-butter
-brown sugar
-cinnamon
-lite corn syrup
-tin foil
Directions:
Chop up your fruit choices
Mound them on a layer of tin foil
Dab on butter (use a couple tablespoons)
Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon
-Pour some corn syrup over the fruit mix and seal fruit in tin foil
Place on grill & grill on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes
Remove from grill, open, and enjoy! this would be great with vanilla ice cream....and to provide some aromatherapy to the kitchen..mmm
The only downside- I LOVE grilled pineapple, like straight up on the grill, creating the grill lines, and this is definitely not as delish as that. but I was pleasantly surprised & will for sure add in other fruits next time. Also, I think I would mix up the whole kit n caboodle (wow, did I just say that?)-the fruit, sugar, cinnamon, syrup-maybe even melt butter and mix EVERYTHING----when I was eating-it was good, but some pieces were GOOD (covered with more sugar/cinnamon). Live and learn- now go out and enjoy the warmer weather & grilling season :)
Still...not creative with a name, and ate more than I should have. And I don't have an exact recipe for this, but it's one of those you can experiment with-if I can't mess it up, you can't either, I have faith!!!
Grilled fruit in foil! (keep it clean)
Ingredients:
-2 apples (I used gala)
-1 container sliced pineapple (or pineapple cut up fresh)
-1 package of frozen peaches (or peaches cut up fresh)
-any other fruits you enjoy eating- we thought blueberries, grapes, etc
-butter
-brown sugar
-cinnamon
-lite corn syrup
-tin foil
Directions:
Chop up your fruit choices
Mound them on a layer of tin foil
Dab on butter (use a couple tablespoons)
Sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon
 |
| pineapple, peaches, apples |
Place on grill & grill on medium heat for about 20-25 minutes
Remove from grill, open, and enjoy! this would be great with vanilla ice cream....and to provide some aromatherapy to the kitchen..mmm
The only downside- I LOVE grilled pineapple, like straight up on the grill, creating the grill lines, and this is definitely not as delish as that. but I was pleasantly surprised & will for sure add in other fruits next time. Also, I think I would mix up the whole kit n caboodle (wow, did I just say that?)-the fruit, sugar, cinnamon, syrup-maybe even melt butter and mix EVERYTHING----when I was eating-it was good, but some pieces were GOOD (covered with more sugar/cinnamon). Live and learn- now go out and enjoy the warmer weather & grilling season :)
Chococaramelly Brownies
Clever, ey? Ok....no. This is why I couldn't do marketing or anything that involves any creativity other than creatively trying to convince people to take their medications appropriately. Basically I set out this morning with the goal of dressing up a box of brownie mix, and yes I scrolled through pinterest looking for ideas, and even turned to my allrecipes.com and Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk recipes and finally something clicked- Chocolate Caramel Brownies! these are chocolate-y caramel-y fudgy bites of goodness....luckily they are rich so you only need a small piece...but I can't say that I stopped at only one. See if you can resist:
Chococaramelly Brownies
Ingredients:
-1 box brownie mix (and ingredients to make according to box- water, oil, eggs)
-12 Ghiradelli chocolate-caramel squares (or other chocolate candy with soft caramel-like carmello bars)
-1 jar caramel ice cream topping
Directions:
-Preheat oven according to box
-Prepare brownies according to box
-Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray
-Pour about 1/4-1/3 brownie batter in pan to cover the bottom
-Place 12 chocolate caramel candies on top of batter
-Pour remaining batter over chocolate
-Pour some caramel topping over brownie mix (I didn't measure, I just dumped some on)
-Take knife and swirl caramel into the brownies
-Bake according to box
-Let cool & eat!!!!
I was kinda sad back when I was grocery shopping as the Ghiradelli chocolates were on sale at Walgreens- after 3 Walgreens & no milk chocolate caramel, I gave in and just bought dark chocolate caramel squares. Did I save ANY money? no....gas prices aren't the best. Did I save ANY time? no....thank goodness Jethro & I can both contain our bladder. But honestly the dark chocolate was great! Made the brownies a little more rich- and healthier, right?!?! haha.
Enjoy :)
Chococaramelly Brownies
Ingredients:
-1 box brownie mix (and ingredients to make according to box- water, oil, eggs)
-12 Ghiradelli chocolate-caramel squares (or other chocolate candy with soft caramel-like carmello bars)
-1 jar caramel ice cream topping
 |
| 3 things??? done. |
Directions:
-Preheat oven according to box
-Prepare brownies according to box
-Spray 13x9 pan with cooking spray
-Pour about 1/4-1/3 brownie batter in pan to cover the bottom
-Place 12 chocolate caramel candies on top of batter
 |
| mmm could eat just this! |
-Pour some caramel topping over brownie mix (I didn't measure, I just dumped some on)
-Take knife and swirl caramel into the brownies
 |
| Can't say I'm a master marble-r |
-Let cool & eat!!!!
 |
| the pic doesn't do it justice! |
 |
| Nice & gooey on the inside |
I was kinda sad back when I was grocery shopping as the Ghiradelli chocolates were on sale at Walgreens- after 3 Walgreens & no milk chocolate caramel, I gave in and just bought dark chocolate caramel squares. Did I save ANY money? no....gas prices aren't the best. Did I save ANY time? no....thank goodness Jethro & I can both contain our bladder. But honestly the dark chocolate was great! Made the brownies a little more rich- and healthier, right?!?! haha.
Enjoy :)
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Mom's best Blueberry Muffins!!!
Happy Leap Day to you all! And to celebrate I'm giving you another recipe!!! That is: my mom's blueberry muffin recipe! Ohhhh yeah! They take a little more time than Betty Crocker's box mix, but are sooo tasty.
The Best Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:
-1/2 c (1 stick) butter, at room temp
-1 c white sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-2 1/2 c blueberries
-2 c all-purpose flour
-1/2 c milk
-1 tbsp sugar (can mix with 1/4 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon)
Directions:
-Heat oven to 375
-Grease or line 12 regular muffin cups
-In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter until creamy
-Beat in the sugar until pale & fluffy
-Beat in eggs, one at a time
-Beat in vanilla, baking powder, and salt
-Fold in half the flour with a spatula, then half the milk
-add remaining flour and milk
-fold in blueberries
-Scoop batter into muffin cups, and sprinkle with sugar (or sugar mixture)
-Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown
-Let muffins cool at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing (although I don't know if we have ever lasted that long before digging in!)
mmmmm- good stuff! My mom also uses raspberries or blackberries or a combo of one or more berries- the recipe would be the same, just add in whatever berries you want instead of or with the blueberries.
The Best Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients:
-1/2 c (1 stick) butter, at room temp
-1 c white sugar
-2 large eggs
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-2 tsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-2 1/2 c blueberries
-2 c all-purpose flour
-1/2 c milk
-1 tbsp sugar (can mix with 1/4 tsp nutmeg or cinnamon)
Directions:
-Heat oven to 375
-Grease or line 12 regular muffin cups
-In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter until creamy
-Beat in the sugar until pale & fluffy
-Beat in eggs, one at a time
-Beat in vanilla, baking powder, and salt
-Fold in half the flour with a spatula, then half the milk
-add remaining flour and milk
-fold in blueberries
 |
| want a little batter with your blueberries? |
-Scoop batter into muffin cups, and sprinkle with sugar (or sugar mixture)
 |
| The batter will be a little thick....that's fine! |
-Bake 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown
-Let muffins cool at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing (although I don't know if we have ever lasted that long before digging in!)
Say Happy Birthday with Chocolate Chip Cupcakes!
This past weekend Curt's brother, sister-in-law and nephew were in town on vacay and it was his sister-in-laws birthday. I had been thinking of what cake to make & was scrolling through pinterest thinking maybe I'd try something new, or try something easy like box cake but with some fun decoration. I decided instead that I would make one of my favorite cupcakes- chocolate chip- and decorate the cupcakes to look like a bingo board, since she loooooves bingo. So, here is the recipe, with pics of course :)
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Ingredients:
~1 package yellow cake mix
~1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
~1 cup milk
~1 c vegetable oil
~4 eggs
~1 c mini chocolate chips (I usually dump in a little more)
Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350
~In mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes, milk, oil, and eggs
----->beat on low speed until moistened, then beat on medium speed for 2 minutes
~Stir in chocolate chips
~Pour in lined cupcake pans
~bake 20-30 minutes
~cool & frost cupcakes!
Here you can see my attempt at a bingo board- the problem was that I didn't want white frosting on chocolate chip cupcakes, and we couldn't find a white frosting writer (although we didn't try too hard), so I improvised and put a Nilla wafer on top, then used a frosting writer. Hey, I tried! and they tasted pretty darn good!!!!
Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
Ingredients:
~1 package yellow cake mix
~1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding mix
~1 cup milk
~1 c vegetable oil
~4 eggs
~1 c mini chocolate chips (I usually dump in a little more)
 |
| yup...this is it!!!! |
Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350
~In mixing bowl, combine cake and pudding mixes, milk, oil, and eggs
 |
| super easy-dump it all in!!! |
~Stir in chocolate chips
~Pour in lined cupcake pans
 |
~bake 20-30 minutes
~cool & frost cupcakes!
 |
| sorry mom- not homemade frosting, but this is one of my faves!!! |
Here you can see my attempt at a bingo board- the problem was that I didn't want white frosting on chocolate chip cupcakes, and we couldn't find a white frosting writer (although we didn't try too hard), so I improvised and put a Nilla wafer on top, then used a frosting writer. Hey, I tried! and they tasted pretty darn good!!!!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
More Oreos!!! Cookies 'n cream chip cookies
Another day off....another day in the kitchen (and the grocery store haha)! And of course, I HAD to try another new recipe that was found off of pinterest- I have a bookmarked folder of pinterest recipes that grows rapidly daily. After my oreo cheesecakes I had to find something else to make to use up my oreos....oreos are good enough on their own, but hey, might as well add a little adventure! So I present to you these-
Cookies 'n Cream Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
-2 1/4 c flour
-1 tsp bkg soda
-1 c butter, softened
-1/2 c packed brown sugar
-1/2 c white sugar
-1 (4.2 oz) pkg Oreo pudding mix (Jello brand)
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
~ 1 to 2 cups of white chips (I like a little less...but you can add up to 2 cups)
~15 oreos, chopped
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Cream butter & sugars
-add pudding mix (the dry mix itself-don't make into pudding) & mix until blended
-beat in eggs & vanilla
-In a separate bowl, sift flour & baking soda, and stir into wet ingredients
-stir in white chips & crushed oreos
-Form dough into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet (or on parchment paper)
Bake cookies at 350 for 9-10 minutes
Cool (a little) and EAT!
Friends, you have NO IDEA how much I loved these cookies! I was so surprised!!! When I found the recipe I thought, hmmm these may be good maybe I'll try them at some point- but now, I'm thinking I'm going to have to whip up a second batch so I have a couple to share. The batter tastes pretty darn good too ;) Enjoy! and enjoy the night because tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!
Cookies 'n Cream Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
-2 1/4 c flour
-1 tsp bkg soda
-1 c butter, softened
-1/2 c packed brown sugar
-1/2 c white sugar
-1 (4.2 oz) pkg Oreo pudding mix (Jello brand)
-2 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
~ 1 to 2 cups of white chips (I like a little less...but you can add up to 2 cups)
~15 oreos, chopped
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Cream butter & sugars
-add pudding mix (the dry mix itself-don't make into pudding) & mix until blended
-beat in eggs & vanilla
-In a separate bowl, sift flour & baking soda, and stir into wet ingredients
-stir in white chips & crushed oreos
-Form dough into balls and place on a greased cookie sheet (or on parchment paper)
Bake cookies at 350 for 9-10 minutes
Cool (a little) and EAT!
Friends, you have NO IDEA how much I loved these cookies! I was so surprised!!! When I found the recipe I thought, hmmm these may be good maybe I'll try them at some point- but now, I'm thinking I'm going to have to whip up a second batch so I have a couple to share. The batter tastes pretty darn good too ;) Enjoy! and enjoy the night because tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
dessert time-Mini Oreo Cheesecakes!
Last but not least for Fat Tuesday- dessert!!! I made these a couple days ago for a a coworker's birthday- and credit goes to pinterest. These are def sweet though...but a good spin on oreo desserts!
Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
-22 oreos (16 whole, 6 crushed-I used double stuf so I could enjoy the leftovers but I would use normal oreos in the future)
-2-8oz cream cheese (I used neufchatel cheese...1/3 of the fat!)
-1/2 c sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-2 large eggs, slightly beaten
-1/2 c sour cream
-pinch salt
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 275 degrees
-place cupcake liners in cupcake pans, and place 1 whole oreo on the bottom of each (makes 16-18)
-Beat cream cheese, then beat in sugar & vanilla
-pour in beaten eggs (I just whisked them in a bowl with a spoon) adding a little at a time
-Beat in sour cream & salt
-stir in chopped oreos
-pour in the cupcake liners & fill almost to the top
-Bake 22-25 minutes, and allow to cool in pan about 15 minutes. Refrigerate 4 hours, enjoy one or two, & store in fridge
As I said, using the regular (non-double stuf) oreos would probably be better, and I think these tasted better after a day or two. An oreo on the bottom is a super easy crust I may use for other cheesecake fillings, but these may also be good with just the chocolate cookie as a crust, no creme.
Happy Fat Tuesday :)
Oreo Cheesecake Cupcakes:
Ingredients:
-22 oreos (16 whole, 6 crushed-I used double stuf so I could enjoy the leftovers but I would use normal oreos in the future)
-2-8oz cream cheese (I used neufchatel cheese...1/3 of the fat!)
-1/2 c sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-2 large eggs, slightly beaten
-1/2 c sour cream
-pinch salt
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 275 degrees
-place cupcake liners in cupcake pans, and place 1 whole oreo on the bottom of each (makes 16-18)
-Beat cream cheese, then beat in sugar & vanilla
-pour in beaten eggs (I just whisked them in a bowl with a spoon) adding a little at a time
-Beat in sour cream & salt
-stir in chopped oreos
-pour in the cupcake liners & fill almost to the top
-Bake 22-25 minutes, and allow to cool in pan about 15 minutes. Refrigerate 4 hours, enjoy one or two, & store in fridge
As I said, using the regular (non-double stuf) oreos would probably be better, and I think these tasted better after a day or two. An oreo on the bottom is a super easy crust I may use for other cheesecake fillings, but these may also be good with just the chocolate cookie as a crust, no creme.
Happy Fat Tuesday :)
Twice-baked Potato...casserole! mmm
Wow, another post? Two in one day? I bet you're wondering what's wrong with me! It's fat Tuesday- you gotta get these meals in NOW! haha.
Our next food adventure was the following- Twice-baked potato casserole. Again, healthy? not really. Good? yes. The meal was based on this- we purposely had this set to make and then tried to figure out the main meal. Again, what's wrong with me? You know in my case it's usually the meal planned around DESSERT, right?
I kinda failed at the step-by-step pictures at this one...and let me say the picture I did get doesn't do it justice. The smell while making it...and baking it...mmmmmm.
Twice baked Potato Casserole
(adapted from Taste of Homes)
Ingredients:
-Baked potatoes
----I used 5 large red potatoes (and by large, they were about the size of a regular/Russet potato), so you can probably almost use the brown potatoes or a few more red ones. I washed them & then wrapped in tin foil & baked at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. I didn't peel the potatoes- and when I started chopping them the skins came off anyways
-salt & pepper to season
-6 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled (I used 5 slices of thick cut, lower sodium)
-2-3 c (16-24 oz) sour cream (I used the light variety- amount varies as to how creamy you would like the dish)
-2-3 cups of shredded cheese- I used cheddar/Monterrey jack
-green onions
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Chop up baked potatoes into cubes (about an inch in size)
-Cook & crumble bacon, chop up the green onions (I probably had 1/4 cup worth), and mix sour cream with 1 cup of shred cheese
-grease/spray a 13x9 pan
-place 1/2 chopped potatoes in pan, sprinkle with salt & pepper to season
-top with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, and 1/2 of the bacon & onions, and 1/2 of the remaining cheese
-repeat layers- potatoes, season, sour cream & cheese mix, bacon, onions, and finally the last of the cheese
-bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the cheeses are melted
I didn't do a good job of spreading the ingredients around- so some bites were a lot more creamy, some were more cheesy, etc. But overall....so yummy. This would be great to take to a potluck or picnic too! I saw a comment on Taste of Homes that someone made it with a crock pot too- they poured all the ingredients in and cooked on low for 2 hours- which I may try at some point too! Worth the calories, I promise!
Our next food adventure was the following- Twice-baked potato casserole. Again, healthy? not really. Good? yes. The meal was based on this- we purposely had this set to make and then tried to figure out the main meal. Again, what's wrong with me? You know in my case it's usually the meal planned around DESSERT, right?
I kinda failed at the step-by-step pictures at this one...and let me say the picture I did get doesn't do it justice. The smell while making it...and baking it...mmmmmm.
Twice baked Potato Casserole
(adapted from Taste of Homes)
Ingredients:
-Baked potatoes
----I used 5 large red potatoes (and by large, they were about the size of a regular/Russet potato), so you can probably almost use the brown potatoes or a few more red ones. I washed them & then wrapped in tin foil & baked at 400 degrees for about 40-45 minutes. I didn't peel the potatoes- and when I started chopping them the skins came off anyways
-salt & pepper to season
-6 slices of bacon, cooked & crumbled (I used 5 slices of thick cut, lower sodium)
-2-3 c (16-24 oz) sour cream (I used the light variety- amount varies as to how creamy you would like the dish)
-2-3 cups of shredded cheese- I used cheddar/Monterrey jack
-green onions
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 375 degrees
-Chop up baked potatoes into cubes (about an inch in size)
-Cook & crumble bacon, chop up the green onions (I probably had 1/4 cup worth), and mix sour cream with 1 cup of shred cheese
-grease/spray a 13x9 pan
-place 1/2 chopped potatoes in pan, sprinkle with salt & pepper to season
-top with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture, and 1/2 of the bacon & onions, and 1/2 of the remaining cheese
-repeat layers- potatoes, season, sour cream & cheese mix, bacon, onions, and finally the last of the cheese
-bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the cheeses are melted
I didn't do a good job of spreading the ingredients around- so some bites were a lot more creamy, some were more cheesy, etc. But overall....so yummy. This would be great to take to a potluck or picnic too! I saw a comment on Taste of Homes that someone made it with a crock pot too- they poured all the ingredients in and cooked on low for 2 hours- which I may try at some point too! Worth the calories, I promise!
Breakfast Pizza...two fab foods combined
Continuing on the breakfast theme, usually breakfasts are left up to Curt...he loves whipping up breakfast as much as I love facebook & pinterest stalking to catch up from the overnight happenings (lol). We've been trying to get adventurous and try new recipes, so Curt made up this breakfast pizza using a no-yeast, easy to make pizza crust. Here is his recipe post :)
Breakfast Pizza
no-yeast, easy pizza crust
(which you could use for any pizza adventures you choose)
Ingredients:
-2 c all-purpose flour
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-2/3 c water
-1 tbsp vegetable/canola oil
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
-add liquid ingredients & stir to incorporate the dry ingredients
-Knead dough 6-8 times on a lightly floured surface
-roll thinly & place on a pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray
from this point- add your sauce & toppings and bake for 18-20 minutes
to continue to make a breakfast pizza, keep reading!
Ingredients:
-pizza sauce (which I thought was a little weird on breakfast pizza but choose whatever sauce topping you'd like- olive oil, alfredo maybe, etc)
-hashbrowns, cooked- we used the frozen ones & just heated them up in the microwave
-peppers/onions (again...our fave Birds Eye frozen veggie combo)
-eggs- scrambled
-bacon- cooked crisp
-cheese!
layer all the ingredients up---
Curt then brushed some olive oil on the outside crust to help it brown up nicely
The pizza was cooked for 18-20 minutes, until it was nice and brown
Now, doesn't that look yummy? -------------->
The best part?
I didn't have to make it! ....and Curt even took pictures of the process- what a great man I have huh? I didn't even have to train him!!!! Kudos to his parents :)
Breakfast Pizza
no-yeast, easy pizza crust
(which you could use for any pizza adventures you choose)
Ingredients:
-2 c all-purpose flour
-1 tbsp baking powder
-1/4 tsp salt
-2/3 c water
-1 tbsp vegetable/canola oil
Directions:
-Preheat oven to 400 degrees
-Mix dry ingredients in a bowl
-add liquid ingredients & stir to incorporate the dry ingredients
-Knead dough 6-8 times on a lightly floured surface
-roll thinly & place on a pizza pan sprayed with cooking spray
 |
| pinched the sides to keep them raised some & hold in the toppings |
to continue to make a breakfast pizza, keep reading!
Ingredients:
-pizza sauce (which I thought was a little weird on breakfast pizza but choose whatever sauce topping you'd like- olive oil, alfredo maybe, etc)
-hashbrowns, cooked- we used the frozen ones & just heated them up in the microwave
-peppers/onions (again...our fave Birds Eye frozen veggie combo)
-eggs- scrambled
-bacon- cooked crisp
-cheese!
layer all the ingredients up---
 |
| mmm....lots of breakfast junk |
The pizza was cooked for 18-20 minutes, until it was nice and brown
 |
The best part?
I didn't have to make it! ....and Curt even took pictures of the process- what a great man I have huh? I didn't even have to train him!!!! Kudos to his parents :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)