Valentine's Day Prep & Donut Cookies

 

My mind is seriously blown that it's already February 3rd. Weren't we just ringing in the New Year?
Not complaining though, because this is one of my favorite months. Sure, it's dreary and cold and yucky outside for the most part. But it's also the month that I actually get to decorate with and enjoy the color PINK! Living with two boys, that doesn't happen too often. I embrace it while I can. :)

 

 

I didn't do much decorating inside this year, but I did draw on a chalkboard "wreath" for our front door (chalkboard tutorial somewhere in the archives!).

 

Pretty sure I already posted this picture, but in case you missed it, these are Bear's homemade Valentine's for our party on the 14th. The heart mazes can be found at Michael's.

 

These "pink ladies" were really easy to make and a huge hit with the kids at the play date we took them to. Just take pink wafers, dip them in white almond bark, and stick on candy lips (found at HEB) before chocolate dries. After dry, draw on eyes with black gel icing. So easy and fun! Bear did a few with sprinkles only, which still tasted good. :)

 

We also made donut cookies for a play date we didn't end up going to because Bear is battling yet another cold :(. Praying he feels like himself soon, it's been a rough month and a half of on and off sickness for the little guy.

Betty Crocker donut mix found here (we snagged it at Dollar Tree last week!). This mix is so yummy, they really do taste like donuts!

 

I've been trying to tweak my cookie icing recipe for some time, with quite a few failed attempts along the way. This time was the best result I've gotten so far, so I thought I'd share the recipe. If you have any tips on the perfect icing, I'd love to hear!

 

Donut Cookie Icing:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

2 teaspoons light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

 

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If the consistency is too thick, add small amounts of corn syrup until icing is smooth.

For pink frosting, add 4 drops of red food coloring and stir until blended.
*yields icing for 2 dozen 3 inch cookies

 

Hope you're having the sweetest week!

Chocolate Chip Banana Nut Bread

Another year, another banana bread recipe.
If you've been following this blog for awhile, you probably realize that this is the third banana bread recipe I've posted. Oopsie! I can't help it; when I find a really good one I get the urge to share it with other bakers :).

 

You don't even have to be a "baker" to make this recipe; it's really simple and oh-so-good. Zach isn't a banana bread fan at all and he even loves this stuff. It freezes well too, so you can always double the recipe and save a loaf for later!

 

My favorite recipes are the ones I always have all the ingredients on hand for. This is one of those recipes; you have a few extra ripe bananas going to waste and chances are you already have everything in your kitchen to whip up this bread.

 

It's moist, chocolatey, and delicious, with just the right amount of crunch from the pecans. The perfect breakfast, dessert, or snack in between.

 

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

2 eggs

1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)

1/3 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

1/2 cup chopped nuts (I use pecans)

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom only of 9x5- or 8x4-inch loaf pan with shortening or cooking spray. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter with spoon until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs. Stir in bananas, milk and vanilla until well blended.

2. In small bowl, mix flour, nuts, chocolate chips, baking soda and salt. Add to banana mixture all at once; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Pour into pan.

3. Bake 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes; remove from pan. Cool completely, about 1 hour. Wrap tightly and store in refrigerator.

 

recipe tweaked from here

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Pumpkin Pie Dump Cake

I've only mentioned it about 87 times on this blog (probably more), but I'm a sucker for all things pumpkin. It's kind of my thing. I blame my mom because she makes the absolute best pumpkin bread; it's quickly become one of Bear's favorite treats, too!

 

When I saw this recipe on Pinterest, I knew it had to be made ASAP. So easy (don't even need a mixer!), yet tastes like it took hours to prepare. Planning on whipping this yummy dessert up again for Thanksgiving.

 

Ingredients:
1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

3 large eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 box Spice Cake Mix

1 cup butter, melted

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, & cinnamon until combined. It will be very liquidy.

4. Pour mixture into the baking dish.

5. Pour cake mix on top of mixture.

6. Take melted butter and drizzle on top of cake mix.

7. Bake for 55-60 minutes. Might still be gooey in center; let set for 30 minutes before serving.

 

Notes:

*refrigerate leftovers, will stay good 5-6 days

 *we found that the cake tasted best on day 2, after the flavors had time to mix together

 

I've been MIA this month; the past three weeks have been a whirlwind of weddings and traveling. So looking forward to relaxing and having lots of festive fun the next couple weeks!

 

Hope your fall is off to a special start!

Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bake

 

Are y'all obsessed with all things pumpkin, too? Because it's become more than just a seasonal treat for me; this time of year, it's a way of life.

Pumpkin everything.

 

Including this delicious cinnamon roll & pumpkin goodness, known as the Pumpkin Pie Breakfast Bake. I promise, it won't disappoint.

 

Sweet layers of cinnamon rolls, pumpkin filling, icing, and pecans make this dessert (err, breakfast) totally irresistible.

I would type out the ingredients/directions, but simply click on the Pillsbury link above and it'll take you right to it all! Really easy, and perfect to prepare the day before if you prefer to bake in advance (raising my hand-so not a morning person). It will keep well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

Now I'm thinking I need to make this again. Like, tomorrow.

What are some of your favorite recipes for fall? Do share!

{Easy as Pie} Pumpkin Spice Pretzels

It's no secret that I am a fan of chocolate dipped pretzels. I make them any time I can think of a good excuse, usually using white almond bark and topping with sprinkles. After seeing a similar recipe for PS Popcorn on Pinterest the other day, I decided to try it out on pretzels instead. And, luckily, they came out delicious! Oh fall and all your pumpkin glory, we are so happy you're (almost) here.

 

These pretzels have the perfect combo of sweet and salty meets pumpkin pie. Just be warned, you'll want to eat the whole batch in one sitting!

 

It's rainy in Houston today, the perfect excuse to lounge and sip cappuccino (which pairs so nicely with these PS pretzels!).

 

You'll need:
-1 pkg. white chocolate almond bark
-mini pretzels

-orange food coloring (optional)

-pumpkin pie spice (1 tsp. for every 8 oz. of chocolate)

 

Directions:
1. Melt almond bark in microwave safe dish for one minute, remove and stir. Keep heating in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until completely melted. Careful not to burn the chocolate.

2. Stir in pumpkin pie spice. I used just over 1 teaspoon for half the block of almond bark.

3. Stir in a couple drops of food coloring, depending on your desired pretzel color.

4. Dip pretzels into the chocolate and lay flat on wax paper to dry.

 

 

*You could top pretzels with crushed graham crackers, sprinkles, or stripe with white chocolate as well. I was so anxious to get into these bad boys that I left all the pretty stuff off. :)

 

 

That's it! So easy and so yummy. Will definitely be making these again all through the holiday season!

What are some of your favorite pumpkin recipes? I'm a pumpkin fanatic so I'd love some new ones to try!

Cinco de Mayo Sombrero Cookies

Growing up in Texas, Cinco de Mayo has always been celebrated at large. I'm a sucker for any holiday with crazy bright colors & an excuse to eat Lupe Tortilla's! :)

Bear & I are attending a Cinco de Mayo party on Monday and I wanted to throw together a quick treat to take. I've been extremely lazy in the baking department lately, though I blame it on the fact that Bear is always at my heels and I'm so afraid he's going to come in contact with the oven. Anyone else have this fear?

I saw these sombrero cookies & decided to whip up our own version. They are so easy to make & perfectly festive for a Cinco de Mayo celebration!

You'll need:
-sprinkles
-1 can of frosting
-Dots
-store bought cookies (sugar or snickerdoodle probably look best)

Start by emptying a large amount of sprinkles into a plate or dish.

Take your frosting and heat it in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Not too long, as you don't want it too runny to stay on the cookies. You just want it warm enough that it's easy to work with. Put a few spoonfuls in a Ziploc and cut a small hole at the end for piping.

Add a thin line of frosting (this one was a little too thick!) around the edge of the cookie.

Dip the cookie in sprinkles. A sprinkle bath sounds nice, huh?

Add a small dot of frosting in the center of the cookie.

Place a Dot on top and add a few sprinkles in the icing that shows around it.

All done, amigas!

 

We're ready to fiesta like there's no manana!
Okay, not really. We're going to the beach manana and we're really excited about it. But come Monday, we'll be ready to fiesta!

Have a great weekend! Adios! :)

 

Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

Bear and I had a cookie exchange party this morning and therefore spent the better part of yesterday evening in the kitchen gettin' our bake on. My little taste-tester thoroughly enjoyed trying out cookies and getting powdered sugar all over his clothes. I think he needs an apron for Christmas.

 

I've always wanted to make chocolate crinkles for two reasons: 1. They're easy. 2. They're chocolate. No other reasons necessary. Because they're a popular cookie, we decided to throw in Andes mint chips (the best part about Olive Garden, no?) for a little twist and turns out they were the perfect addition! I seriously can't quit eating them. Someone please come help pry the cookies out of my hands. Or, don't.

Think fudgy brownie meets Thin Mint cookie.

We'll definitely be making a batch again before the holiday season's over. This recipe is so simple and makes 6 dozen cookies, so it's great for handing out to neighbors and friends!

 

Mint Chocolate Crinkle Cookies    from Bear’s Kitchen

Ingredients:

1/2  cup vegetable oil

4 oz unsweetened baking chocolate, melted, cooled

2 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla

4 eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 (10 oz.) pkg. Andes Crème de Menthe baking chips

Directions:
1. In large bowl, mix oil, chocolate, granulated sugar and vanilla. Stir in eggs, one at a time. Stir in flour, baking powder, Andes chips, and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours.

2. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet with shortening or cooking spray.

3. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls into powdered sugar; roll around to coat and shape into balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheets.

4. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until almost no imprint remains when touched lightly in center. Immediately remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

 

 

Happy baking, friends! And Happy Holidays!

 

 

Guest Post: A Yummy (and healthy!) Cookie Recipe

Happy fall, y'all!

We are thrilled that autumn is finally upon us, even if it is still 90-something degrees in Houston.

Fall is the perfect time to start getting together recipes and baking some warm, yummy treats. Sabrina is here to share a recipe that I hope you'll all love! She had me at cookies...but wait, they're healthy, too? Sign us up!

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I am a sucker for sweets, but my body doesn’t seem to process them the same way. When I was a teenager I could eat whatever I wanted, but my mid-20’s have proven a different fate. I’ve always been fairly active, but as many of you know, maintaining your ideal body weight gets a little tougher with age. Part of my regular weight maintenance included the use of protein powder. If you find the right brand, it’s delicious and nutritious. It also gives you several high protein baking alternatives you likely never considered before.

Since I’m not one to forego my favourite foods, I’ve come up with a few wiley alternatives. One of these is my delicious protein cookies. Besides being a sweet-eater, I’m also gluten free so this is a Celiac friendly recipe as well.

To make my tasty protein powder cookies you will need the following:

- 2 scoops of Protein Powder - I use Gold Standard Whey in Double Rich Chocolate

- 1 cup Quinoa Flour

- 2 tablespoons Natural Peanut Butter

- 1/2 cup Unsweetened Chocolate Chips (or your favourite dried berry)

- enough Unsweetened Almond Milk to moisten your mixture

Step 1 - Start by mixing all of your ingredients together in a bowl. Make sure you work out any clumps.

Step 2 - Lightly grease a baking sheet. I like to use coconut oil because it smells delicious and is healthier than your usual butter or lard grease. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Step 3 - Place one inch balls of dough onto your baking sheet and place in oven for 12-15 minutes. Stick them with  toothpick to make sure they are fully cooked. If they aren’t quite finished you will notice gooey cookie dough on the tooth pick. If this happens, pop them back in for 3-5 minutes. Monitor them closely though; you don’t want them to burn. Once done, let cool then enjoy!

If Almond Milk isn’t your number one choice, try mashing up a banana instead. The banana will provide just as much moisture as the almond milk, but with the added benefit of potassium.

Since many people don’t have quinoa flour on hand, if you aren’t Celiac feel free to alternate with 1/2 cup all-purpose flour and 1/2 cup rolled oats. This will add a punch of fiber, yet still taste delicious.

Don’t let your sweet tooth get the best of your waistline. Try this super simple recipe and enjoy a chocolatey treat without the guilt!

Author Bio: Sabrina is a jet setting, fitness loving, gym junkie who loves sharing her healthy tips, tricks and recipes. To stay connected, be sure to check her out on http://CarryOnDiet.com or on a <a href="http://twitter.com/Life_Stylin/">Twitter<a/> and <a href="http://facebook.com/lifestylin">Facebook<a/>.

 

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Thank you so much, Sabrina, for sharing your recipe and wisdom with us! I love the banana idea; definitely going to try it out. With a baby that's starting to eat everything Zach and I eat, I'm constantly on the hunt for recipes and foods that Bear will love but are also healthy. This is perfect!

Hope you have a fantastic week, friends!

 

 

Double Recipe: Easy Baked Ranch Chicken & Reese's S'mores

 

If your life is anything like ours, by the time supper rolls around all we want to do is sprawl out on the couch and watch Wheel of Fortune. Getting up to actually cook a meal seems completely absurd...and doing the dishes afterwards? You've gotta be joking.

 

My grandma makes this amaaaazing potato chip chicken and when I saw the recipe for something similar (using bread crumbs), I knew we needed to make it. Plus, this recipe has ranch dressing. Can't go wrong there! So simple and easy for those nights you really don't feel like cooking. 

 

Baked Ranch Chicken

 

You'll need:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 cups crushed potato chips

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese (optional)

1 cup ranch dressing (we use Hidden Valley)

3 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

 

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease baking sheet with vegetable oil.
2. Crush potato chips in zip lock bag using a rolling pin. Add parmesan cheese.
3. Put chip mixture and ranch dressing into separate bowls.
4. Dip chicken into ranch dressing and press into chip mixture to coat. Gently toss between your hands so any chips that haven't stuck can fall away. Arrange onto prepared baking sheet.
5. Bake in preheated oven until no longer pink in the center and the juices run clear, about 30 minutes. An instant-read thermometer inserted into the center should read at least 165 degrees F (74 degrees C).

recipe adapted from here

 

We serve ours over a bed of rice and it's delicious!

And now on to the best part...dessert! :)

It's funny that I even call this a "recipe". It is, however, one of the best things you'll ever put in your mouth. You'll wonder why plain ole Hershey squares were ever used in the first place.

 

I dream of the days when we'll have a big fire pit in the backyard, but for now the broiler will have to suffice. Think of these as campfire s'mores, just without the mosquitos and Kumbaya. Actually appealing, huh?

 

Inside (not fire-side) Reese's S'mores:

 

You'll need:
1 pkg. Reese's cups (as many as you'd like, really)

1 pkg. marshmallows

1 pkg. graham crackers (we love Maui Grahams from World Market!)

 

Directions:
Place marshmallows on a cookie sheet. Turn oven broiler on high and place cookie sheet on top rack of oven. Watch closely, usually takes about a minute or less for marshmallows to get that good crispy "burn" on top. Take out and immediately sandwich between to grahams with a Reese's cup (or two!) in the center. Enjoy!

 

 

Hope this gives you some inspiration for the next time you're watching Wheel of Fortune, not wanting to get up and fix supper. This momma can totally relate!

 

Two of my very best friends in the whole world will be in town tonight and we're going to Cheesecake Factory; let's just say I'm counting down the minutes. Favorite.Restaurant.Ever.

Hope you have a great day, sweet friends!

 

Small but Exciting News

A few weeks ago, we got word from Pillbury that they were going to feature our Pecan Pie Cookie recipe on their Facebook page! Y'all, we LOVE Pillsbury around these parts.

Crescent rolls? Yes, please. Biscuits? Yes, please. Pie? Yes. No please. Just YES. We are obsessed.

A few examples:

 

found here

 

 

found here

 

 

found here

 

found here

 

A huge thank you to Pillsbury for sharing our recipe and giving our little blog a whole lotta traffic today! We greatly appreciate it and hope anyone who tries out the Pecan Pie Cookies enjoys them as much as we have! Find Pillsbury on Facebook here to keep up with all kinds of yummy treats.

Hope your week's off to a sweet start :)