Im baking?? Choc chip pound cake

I don't get very excited about the Super Bowl...lets be honest MY team has never been there (in my lifetime)  and I do look forward to that day. Besides the yummy food and the halftime show I could really careless...but it's still football!

So bake on....

1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 sm pkg choc pudding
1 cup mini choc chips
1/4 cup water
1tsp vanilla
1 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1 cup veg oil

Mix all liquid ingredients together, then gradually add dry. Whisk till smooth and pour into greased bunt pan. Bake @ 325 for 50-60 mins.

this honesty is the only cake I can ever make right... Im not a baker and Im sure thats good for everyones waistline....HAPPY SUPERBOWL!
I asked AC today if he wanted to watch football today he said, "VIKINGS!!" I hate to say that I might have passed the sad but true eternal optimism of Vikings football to my son. Haha! :)

Taie care-DCW

Its all banana's....

Life is sure in fast forward right now... the summer is turning into fall & Im so excited! Fall is my favorate season... football, sweaters, halloween & cooler weather. I really couldnt ask for more.

But amunst all the crazy end of summer get togethers I found some time to bake! yea you heard right......
Banana Bread:
1 1/2 flour
1 1/3 sugar
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas
1/2 cup mar/butter
2 eggs
1 Tbls vanilla
1/2 cup sour milk (1 tsp vingar)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

*Shift flour through shifer then mix with soda and salt. Add melted marg. sugar, bananas, eggs and vanilla. Finally mix in sour milk and chopped nuts. Bake @350 for 1 hour.

Keep on Baking?

Spring is coming right? Well, we had our semi-annual SM meetings for work last week. I was instructed to bring fruit or veggies.... BORING for a cook like me...... so I mixed it up a little with Fruit Kabobs:

Kabob skewers

Your choice of 3-4 different kinds of fruit, chop and put on skewers.

(I used green grapes, strawberries & pineapple)

Fruit dip:

1 7oz jar marshmallow cream

1 8oz Cream cheese

Soften cream & whip marshmallow in until mixed.

*I bought my fruit dip cause sometimes you have to cut corners somewhere right?? Keep on Cooking!

Pier1 Fav & dessert

Working at Pier1 is always fun... I have to say I LOVE my job.... maybe not all day everyday, but what fun to get to play all day with this merchandise. In the last year we started carrying a Tasting Party collection. Its an idea of hosting parties with a "bite size" menu.... These baking ramekins are my favorite set & here is a recipe to go with: Mini Lava Cakes: 1 3/4 cups of semisweet chocolates pieces 2 tablespoons whipping cream 3/4 cup butter 3 eggs 3 eggs yolks 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla 1/3 cups all-purpose flour 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder powdered sugar (optional) Raspberries or strawberries, sliced to top 1 For filling, in a small saucepan combine 3/4 cup of choc pieces and whipping cream. Cook and stir over low heat until choc melts. Remove from heat. Cool, stirring occasionally. Cover, chill for 45 mins or until firm. 2. Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan cook and stir remaining 1 cup chocolate and the butter over low heat until melted. Remove and cool 3. Form filling into equal-size balls, set aside. Lightly grease and flour ramekins. Place in 15x10 baking pan. 4. In mixing bowl beat eggs, yolks, vanilla and sugar with electric mixer for 5 mins or until lemon colored. Beat in cooled choc. mixture on medium speed. Sift flour and cocoa powder over mixture; beat on low speed until just combined. Spoon into dishes til 1/3 full. Place 1 ball of filling into each dish and remaining better into dishes. 5. Bake at 400 for about 13 mins. Cool in dishes and dust with powder sugar and garnish with fruit if desired. Keep on Cooking!!

A recipe for a great Saturday....

Some of this..... +

dash of these....

= Wonderfully lazy Saturday..... I don't have many more of these so I'm going to take it all in now!
PS- those rolls are out of a tube, no cooking this AM! haha

Keep on Cooking!

A Happy Valentines Day Cookie!

Sealed with a Kiss Cookie
1/2 cup butter
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg (unbeaten)
1 3/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
Combined ingredients in order listed Roll into balls and then sugar. Bake at 375 for 8 mins. Take out and press a chocolate kiss on the top until dough breaks. Bake 2-5 mins more. (you can use Hugs or chocolate stars also.) Happy Valentines Day! Honestly its not one of my favorite holidays.... I love to love those close to me everyday! (That couldn't be cornier right?!) But its true.... so all of you out there... I'm sending some L-O-V-E!
Keep On Cooking!!

A Cookie Countdown

Ive said it many times and will say it again... I'm NOT a baker! :) But Cookinglight.com is having a December Cookie Countdown! Today's recipe is Brown Sugar Shortbread cookies (and since this baby seems to have a sweet tooth I have to say they sound great!):
5.5 ounces all-purpose flour (about 1 1/4 cups)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
7 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 teaspoons ice water
Cooking spray
1. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl; stir with a whisk.
2. Place brown sugar and butter in a medium bowl; mix with hands until combined. Add flour mixture, and mix with hands until combined. Sprinkle dough with 1 1/2 teaspoons ice water; knead dough lightly 4 times or just until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 325°.
4. Place dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; press dough into an 8 x 5–inch rectangle about 3/8-inch thick. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork. Bake at 325° for 25 minutes or just until set and edges are golden. Cut shortbread into 24 pieces. Cool completely.

Speaking of sweets.... my sweet friend Alicia came over last night for some apps. It was the re-do of my app party last Saturday & only Alicia could make it! Either way we had a great time catching up & eating some yummy food. I made Kelly's chocolate cheese ball & it even got a Hubby rating of 7 or 8!!

Here is a link to the recipe:I changed a little bit by also rolling it in hot chocolate powder & chopped walnuts. The recipe made enough for 2 balls so I will be bringing one to work 2morrow too! I served it with cinnamon gram crackers.

Happy Holidays & Keep on Cooking!

A morning with more than donuts....

Hi there, well I wanted to get in a healthier option for breakfast....
I swear I have ate a donut for breakfast EVERY morning for the last month or TWO! haha I tend to justify it because I do so much running around at work. But a couple months back I had coffee with my dear friend Alicia @ Caribou. We both tried their oatmeal for the first time and I was pretty impressed because it was good..... so last week I was in a pinch and didn't eat enough for breakfast, so I grabbed some oatmeal again with my coffee.
Today I recreated this @ home......
Cranberry/Nut oatmeal: (Personal size)
1/2 cup quick oats or plain dry oatmeal
1 cup hot water or warm milk
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 chopped walnuts
1 tsp brown sugar
*Mix all together & yum.... it was so good I didn't have time to take a pic!!
I am also going to try it with walnuts/bananas tomorrow. Its quick because I used the same water I heat up for my french press in the AM.... quick and I'm sure it has way less sugar than the coffee shop's....ps I still ate this with a donut! :)

*please keep Debbie, the Hubby's aunt, in your thoughts/prayers today... she begins a long 16 weeks of chemotherapy!
Take care & Keep on Cooking!

Fall Apple Crisp

2 pound Honey Crisp Apples (about 6-8 apples)

(*Honey Crisp are MN grown... but any firm apple will do!)

1 teaspoon grated orange/lemon zest or both

4 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange/lemon juice or both

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup wheat flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For topping:1 1/2 cup flour

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 kosher salt (health twist: use Morton lite salt.. has 1/2 sodium)

1 cup old-fashion oatmeal

1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted organic butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, core and cut apples in to large pieces. Place into large bowl and add zest, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into 9x12x2 in baking dish.

Topping: Combine flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, bitter in to bowl and mix for 1 min till mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering fruit completely. Place baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 mins- 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Keep on Cooking!!

I made dessert??

Going to a Working family get together and I was asked to bring dessert.... ME!? Dessert?! you all know that I don't bake but I found something that required now of that....


Raspberry/Strawberry short cake:
1 cup fresh raspberries (you can use frozen too, make sure to thaw)
2 cups of sliced fresh strawberries
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
Angel food cake, sliced
whip cream


mix 3/4 cup raspberries, sugar, water and 1/2 cup strawberries into blender. Pour over other berries and chill. Spoon over sliced cake and top with whip cream topping! (If serving right away I would also add sliced bananas or blueberries for more taste)

Keep on Cooking!!


Speaking of something sweet... here is Chad's cuz' new baby.....
Kayla Beth

Morning treat....

I'm not sure if Ive shared this with all of you but... I LOVE the View!! :)

The show cracks me up, in a weird way informs be of news and almost every show has something interesting to learn about. Now I know a lot of people see it as nothing more than 5 woman yelling over each other (The Hubby included). But seriously Ive watched it since college and almost never miss a day! With that said.... the show features a mug a couple times a year that they use on the show & you can buy! Please don't judge me..... but I just bought one! haha And here it is......

So what goes with the perfect mug?? Breakfast..... here are 2 recipes for a Good Morning:
Pecan Sticky Rolls
Dough:
3/4 cup warm skim milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water
1/2 cup egg substitute
3 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled
18 ounces all-purpose flour (about 4 cups), divided
Cooking spray
Sauce:
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons hot water
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
Filling:
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted

1. To prepare dough, combine the first 3 ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Stir yeast mixture into milk mixture. Add egg substitute and 3 tablespoons melted butter; stir until well combined.
3. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 16.8 ounces (about 3 3/4 cups) flour to yeast mixture; stir until smooth. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel slightly soft and tacky).
4. Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray; turn to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 45 minutes. Punch dough down and turn over in bowl; lightly coat with cooking spray. Cover and let rise another 45 minutes. Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes.
5. To prepare sauce, combine brown sugar, 3 tablespoons butter, and 2 tablespoons hot water in a small bowl; stir with a whisk until smooth. Scrape sugar mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking pan coated with cooking spray, spreading evenly over bottom of pan with a spatula. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly with pecans, and set aside.
6. To prepare filling, combine 2/3 cup granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; pat dough into a 16 x 12–inch rectangle. Brush surface of dough with 1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter. Sprinkle sugar mixture evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Beginning with a long side, roll up dough jelly-roll fashion; pinch seam to seal (do not seal ends of roll). Cut roll into 15 slices (approximately 1 inch wide). Arrange slices, cut sides up, in prepared pan. Lightly coat rolls with cooking spray; cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. Preheat oven to 350°.
8. Uncover rolls, and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; carefully invert onto serving platter.
(From CookingLight)

Irish Coffee
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup Irish Whiskey, divided
1/4 cup sugar, divided
4 cups strong coffee, divided
Place 1/4 cup whipping cream in a med. bowl. Beat with a mixer at high speed until stiff peaks form. Heat 6 mugs by running under very hot water. Pour about tsp whiskey into each glass. Add 2 teaspoon sugar to each, add 2/3 cups coffee and stir until sugar dissolves. Top each serving with about 1 1/2 tbl whipped cream (do not stir). Serves 6.

Keep on Cooking!!

Oatmeal Cookies

I have admitted many times that I'm not a baker... for some reason the only kind of cookies bake and turn out are peanut butter kiss and oatmeal. Here is a recipe with a twist.. I made them with butterscotch chips.. I'm not a huge fan of chocolate (I know I'm weird!)I also brought these to work to butter up my new team... and I think it worked! :)

2 sticks margarine or organic butter
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 organic eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups all purpose wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups Oatmeal
1 cup butterscotch chips (too you can use chocolate chips or raisins too)
(Based on a recipe from Quaker Oats)

When making these I tried out my new Pampered Chef scooper.... I worked great to have nice round balls of dough! (I also used it last Monday to make my meat balls for the pasta)

Keep on Cooking!!

Festive Party favors.....

Having a holiday party? Wanted to give you a preview of something I will be giving all my guest tonight @ my ladies only holiday party!

I will be also be surprising my neighbors by putting them in their mail boxed tomorrow!

-Plastic frosting bags
(found at michaels)
-Bulk hot chocoa mix
-Large bag of mini marshmallows
-Large bag of mini choc chips (can use butterscotch or white choc too)
-twist ties or small rubber bands
-holiday ribbon

Fill each bag with 1/2 cup of chocoa mix, hand full of chocoa. chips and marshmallows.
Twist bag at top of ingredients, twist with tie and wrap with ribbon. Cut extra plastic off top.

Keep on Cooking!!

Those cookies are not for a rookie....

Now Ive been very honest with you all about not being a baker... well it came in full force while I wasted 2 1/2 hours of my morning off trying to make the spritz cookies recipe posted monday.
Tip: cooling the dough is a good idea... over night? Not so much.. I got up this morning ready to bake and the dough was ROCK HARD!! Even a couple sec in the mico. didn't help... so I sadly ... after MUCH trying... I had to throw it away! (tear)
Now I know that might have been the problem , so don't totally disregard that recipe please....

But that is just where it started...... next up junk cookie gun or operator error?? I could go for about 2-3 pressed cookies and then the top would pull apart! Could this be why we found 4 cookie presses in my grandmother's kitchen? Or the fact that this press was made in 50s?? Well, grandma I feel your pain.

Finally I whipped up a different recipe that was on the box and I'll share that with you...good luck!

1 cup shortening
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/4 sifted all-pur flour
1/4 tea salt
1/2 tea baking powder

-cream shortening until soft.
-Add sugar gradually, continuing to cream until light.
-Add egg and vanilla, beat.
-Shift flour, salt, baking powder together, add in other ingred., beat well.
-Chill dough 10 MINS!!! (NOT over night! ha ha)


Keep on Cooking!!

Celebrate your furry friend....

Last weekend a good friend Janelle, myself and our 2 furry kids made the trek to the MOA (that's Minnie talk for the Mall of America) for the nations 1st in mall charity walk. The walk benefited Home for Life, a long term animal shelter. They provide life-time care for special needs animals. It was really exciting to watch them interact with the other doggies... Heidee (my doberman) even got to meet a Great Dane, finally a dog bigger than her! But what did she do...made a fuss and needed to move on!

Doggie Cake:
1 1/2 cup Flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup soft butter
1/2 cup corn oil
1 jar baby food (meat flavor)
4 eggs
2 strips of beef jerky (Quick top: bacon bits)

Cream butter until smooth, add corn oil, baby food and egg till smooth.
Pour dry Ingrid into this mix and stir until smooth. *Cut up jerky and mix into batter.
Pour into greased round cake pan. Bake @ 350 for 1 hour & 10 mins
*Frosting can be made by mixing plan yogurt with food coloring. Top cake with after it has cooled.


A fun recipe that I got from Janelle and made for Heidee's 3rd birthday party this summer... yes I said b-day party (see picture)


Have fun with you pups... Keep on Cooking!

This is almost baking right?

I LOVE to cook.... but baking? I'm still working to perfect that... let's just say that I'm not good at using exact measurements. But what sounds better in the fall but some apple crisp?

Fall Apple crisp

2 pounds Honey Crisp Apples (about 6-8 apples)
(*Honey Crisp are MN grown... but any firm apple will do!)
1 teaspoon grated orange/lemon zest or both
4 teaspoon freshly squeezed orange/lemon juice or both
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (health twist: use wheat flour)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

For topping:
1 1/2 cup flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 kosher salt (health twist: use Morton lite salt.. has 1/2 sodium)
1 cup old-fashion oatmeal
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted organic butter, diced

Preheat oven to 350. Peel, core and cut apples in to large pieces. Place into large bowl and add zest, juices, sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour into 9x12x2in baking dish.

Topping: Combine flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, bitter in to bowl and mix for 1 min till mixture is in crumbles. Sprinkle evenly over the fruit, covering fruit completely. Place baking dish on a sheet pan and bake for 50 mins- 1 hour. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

Based on recipe from Ina Garten, Food Network.

Keep on Cooking!!

Tricks & a little Treat....

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! .... we are preparing for the party tonight & I wanted to share something I'm making:

Something Salty & Sweet....
1 pkg of Almond bark
2 cups of peanut butter.
2 cups of peanuts
2 cups of rice crispies cereal
2 pkg of microwave popcorn
Candy corn (I put this in for Halloween).... or M&Ms as called for.
Wax paper

Warm almond bark in large micro safe bowl for 90 sec at a time and stir in peanut butter. After warmed and melted spoon in peanuts & rice crispies. Pop both bags of popcorn, then stir into large bowl.... (DO NOT pour from bag directly, the unpopped seeds aren't fun!)After all mixed together lay around 2 sheets of wax paper to cool/dry and top with candy corn or M&Ms. Break up into bit size pieces and put in bowl.
(recipe from my friend Polly Dolby @ work, requested often!)

Have a safe holiday!
Keep on Cooking!!

What to listen for this weekend:

The Weekly Dish on FM 107.1 1-2pm with Stephanie Hansen, (former host of the "Stephanie & Meredith Show R.I.P.) highlights local eateries in the Twin Cites & are live this weekend @ Aamodt's Apple Farm. http://www.aamodtsapplefarm.com/

Pumpkin Cupcakes from FM107 website:

Ingredients:
1 18.5-ounce box yellow cake mix
Cake mix requirement: 3 eggs (check box)
Cake mix requirement: vegetable oil (check box)
1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree
2 8-ounce bars cream cheese (room temperature)
2 cups powdered sugar

-Preheat over to 350 F. Line muffin tins with liners (paper, silicone or, if no liners available, use cooking spray).

-Mix the cake mix as directed but substitute the pumpkin puree for the water and add the pumpkin pie spice to the mix.

-Divide the mix into the muffin tins and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cupcake comes out clean.

-Make the icing: beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until creamy. Ice the cupcakes.

I think I will be making them in the next week or two... Ill keep you posted...
Keep on cooking!!