Tomorrow is a special day at my house.  It is the birthday of my #1 baby.  My little girl will be ELEVEN! It is so hard to believe! I asked her what type of cake she wanted, and I got the cutest response.  Since she has a dairy allergy she always walks by the bakery case and covets those delicious specialty cakes.  She said, “I want a chocolate strawberry cake  Not just a chocolate cake with strawberry icing, but a fancy cake with real strawberries and the gooey filling inside.”

So basically I had to become a pastry chef! I am always looking for short cuts and this is no different. These cupcakes have the gooey creamy center she wanted without a huge mess in my kitchen.   Here are the delicious Chocolate Covered Strawberry Cupcakes we made for her special day. It would be amazing to surprise a special someone with on Valentines day too!

Happy Birthday Gracie!

I was blown away by the response after I posted the Italian Dressing Mix Recipe last week.  You guys loved it and I had a ton of requests for a Ranch Dressing Mix Recipe.   I just so happen to have one for you guys that I use all of the time!

I love this because it is truly versatile!  Not only can you make your own ranch, you can make your own dip with it.  This is made in huge batches in a jar in my kitchen, because my daughter is allergic to milk and I refuse to pay $4-$5 for a bottle of dairy free ranch dressing.  This makes the best tasting dairy free ranch dressing and dip.  This is also great for those of you that are Vegan, and can’t have dairy for that reason.

This is what the dry mix looks like after you have it all mixed up.

This is a picture of the Dairy Free sour Cream.  You can special request your store to carry it.

And of course, I had to add this picture of my dip thief into the mix.

I linked up at…

Balancing Beauty and Bedlam

I am always looking for new and exciting recipes to share with you guys, and I love finding make your own mix recipes.  They turn out not only being healthier but much easier on the wallet.  This week I stumbled across a recipe for Homemade Italian Dressing Mix.  It is absolutely genius, because with the food allergies in my house I have to read every label twice to make sure there is no hidden gluten or dairy.  With my own mix, I know what is in my salad dressing.

You can use this for so many things besides salads.  Make this dressing for on pasta, as a marinade, or use the mix as a dry rub on meat before you grill.  It is so versatile!   I will now be adding this to my seasoning cabinet with my homemade taco seasoning and homemade onion soup mix

Linked up at Tasty Tuesday

I love “Snack”urday.  It came out of my love for making special treats with my kids on Friday nights and Saturdays.  While some “Snack”urdays are more adults, or just a family indulgence.  It all comes back to fun times with the family.  Tonight me and the kids got in the kitchen, rolled up our sleeves and got our hands dirty.

We had some fun making these Chocolate Football Bites…and of course had a blast taking pictures with our new kids cooking utensils that happen to have little bodies. LOL

If you are watching football this weekend or even for the superbowl, but these fun treats with your kids.  You will make amazing unforgettable memories with them! Plus they are gluten free and dairy free so they are perfect for everyone!

Gather you ingredients.

Place Chocolate, karo syrup, and butter in microwave safe bowl

Microwave for 1 1/2 -2 Minutes.

Place 4 cups of cereal in a large bowl.

Pour the chocolate mix over the cereal and stir.

Shape with moistened hands into 3 inch footballs and place on a wax paper or parchment paper covered cookie sheet.

Decorate footballs with icing or white decorator gel.

Enjoy!

New Years will be here this weekend, and if you are looking for a way to get those Black Eyed Peas in here is a great recipe. Here is a fun fact about why Black Eyed Peas are so important on New Years.

Why Black Eyed Peas?

The practice of eating black-eyed peas for luck is generally believed to date back to the Civil War. At first planted as food for livestock, and later a food staple for slaves in the South, the fields of black-eyed peas were ignored as Sherman’s troops destroyed or stole other crops, thereby giving the humble, but nourishing, black-eyed pea an important role as a major food source for surviving Confederates.

Today, the tradition of eating black-eyed peas for the New Year has evolved into a number of variations and embellishments of the luck and prosperity theme .

I have been bustling about the house trying to be in the Christmas spirit.  “Joy to the World” is echoing off the walls in my house, The Stockings are hung by the chimney,  the kids are drinking hot cocoa, and I am in the kitchen baking cookies.

I was trying to be unique with my cookie selection this week and sat at the kitchen table thumbing through cookbooks.  Every time I looked up I saw these three chocolate covered noses and grins starring back at me over the top of their coffee mugs of cocoa.  It was inspiration that I couldn’t ignore.

So for our Christmas Cookie this week, I give you, Hot Cocoa cookies! Don’t forget to head over to the A Few Short Cuts Cookie Swap 2011 page for more cookie inspiration!

Preheat oven to 350 Degrees F.

In large bowl, beat butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until light and fluffy.

Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt

stir into the butter mixture until well blended.

Mix in chocolate chips.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Immediately top each cookie with 3 mini marshmallows.

Return to oven for 1 minute if you want them extra gooey.  Allow to cool and serve.  Store extra cookies in an airtight container! Make 4 dozen.

Oh it is cold outside and I love the smell of crusty hot fresh bread.  Especially when it is coming out of my oven.   This french bread recipe is one of my favorites, not only is it easy, it is so delicious. People will wonder which bakery you bought it from.

I love turning it into garlic bread, croutons, and just eating it with a little bit of butter.  This Tomato & Basil Bruschetta is a great way to finish up the end of the season garden goodies.  Top it with a little bit of fresh mozzarella and I am in heaven.

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I love Halloween, Fall, and all things Autumny.  However, you can ask anyone who really knows me, and they will tell you that my weakness this time of year is Candy Corn.  I can’t help myself.  I will buy one bag, cause who doesn’t buy at least one bag.  Then that first bag disappears…who knows where it goes.  And then there is another bag purchased.  Now, this has become worse since they have started releasing coupons for these honey sweet triangles. I have restrained myself the past 2 trips to the store and have not bought a bag….I promise!

So since I have been good, I decided to do my ode to candy corn this week and make candy corn cookies.  I typically make big cookies but these little candy corn cookies are a perfect snack size.  If you just want a quick nibble of something sweet these will do the trick.  Plus, they are so festive!

I used Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Pouches.  I mixed following the directions.

I mixed in the Cocoa Powder to 1/3 of the dough. And hand mixed in the yellow food coloring to the other 1/3. My kids ran off with the red.  So I couldn’t make orange.

Layer the dough into a wax paper lined loaf pan.

And refrigerate for atleast 2 hours.

Remove dough from pan and slice into 1/4 inch thick slices.

Then cut into triangles.

Place on parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.

Serve or store in an airtight container! YUM!

I am always looking for kid friendly meals that will please the whole family.  Let’s admit, there are only so many times a year you can eat chicken nuggets without turning into one.   So I figured I would experiment in the kitchen this afternoon.   I started pulling out some easy ingredients for a chicken dressing that was so good, the little ones asked for seconds, and so did the hubby.

This meal is super easy, and affordable which helps it earn 5 stars in my book.  Plus, dinner was on the table in 30 minutes or less. Gotta love it!

My house is full of giggles this evening.  We are having a double sleepover.  My Daughter and Son happen to have friends that are Brother and Sister also.   It is a fun time and we have had an absolute blast so far.  Of course after we grilled Hot Dogs and Hamburgers we needed something sweet.

I went downstairs to dig around in my stockpile of sweet treats.  I pulled out a box of brownies, bag of marshmallows and a jar of peanut butter.  Oh…and then a helper grabbed some chocolate chips.  We knew that we were in for sugar overload, but it would be good.

My helpers and I came up with this gooey concoction that is decadently delicious and kid friendly!  You have to try this one!

So I was on pinterest the other day and saw some caramel apple donuts.  I was hooked just by the picture.   My mom bought me a donut pan for my birthday and it has been sitting in the cabinet just waiting for the perfect recipe.   This was it.

Tonight I hit the kitchen and began to whip up what I thought was going to be a mind blowing breakfast.  Unfortunately the best made plans sometimes fail, and this was one of those times.  The donuts fell apart; just crumbled right out of the pan.

Since my kitchen was already a mess and had apples everywhere.  I hit the drawing board.  I started experimenting.  Why not dirty a couple more dishes? I came up with this delicious caramel apple cake that is moist, dense, and absolutely full of fall flavors.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Measure flour, Baking powder, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl.

In another bowl wisk together eggs & sugar.  Then mix in vanilla and oil.

Mix egg mixture into flour mixture until well blended.

Stir in 1 cup of shredded apples.

Your dough will look like this.

Spread batter into 9×9 square pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick poked into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Heat some caramel ice cream topping for the caramel sauce OR…in a small sauce pan Wisk together 1/2 cup apple cider and 1 cup packed brown sugar.  Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon.  Remove from heat.

Pour caramel over warm cake.  Cut an serve by itself or with ice cream.

I am in a pumpkin mood!  My house is slowly starting to look like fall.  I hit the craft store for some burlap and some pumpkins.  I am digging out my fall decorations and bringing them in and I have projects lined up for the kids this week.  So I found this recipe for Pumpkin Custard and thought to myself ….oh…how good this would be with a crème brulee topping.   So voila!  Pumpkin Custard Brulee!

This recipe is easy, but it does take time to bake, time to cool, and very little time to eat.  So, be prepared that this recipe does not offer immediate gratification, but it is totally worth the wait!

Gather ingredients and preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, beat the pumpkin, evaporated milk, egg whites and fat-free milk until smooth. Add the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt, cloves and nutmeg; mix well.

Spoon into ten 6-oz. ramekins or custard cups coated with cooking spray. Place in a 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan.  Put about 1 cup of water in the baking pan for a water bath.  This will help the custards bake more evenly.

Bake at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate until right before serving.

After the custards have cooled in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours place 1/2 tsp super fine sugar on the tops of the custards.

Place custards under the broiler or burn with a torch until the sugar has melted and formed a crust.  Allow to cool for 2 minutes before serving.

My youngest came into the kitchen just a little while ago and in her cute southern drawl said, “Oh Mama, what is that smell? Is it for me?” She made me grin from ear to ear.  The smells of Fall were oozing out of the oven.

It is only mid-September and I may freeze my buns off.  The Florida in me is apparently showing, because the high today was 55. There were kids wearing shorts to school.  While I, on the other hand, was in a sweatshirt and jeans. I may just die this Winter, but I am trying to make the best of the cooler temps by turning my oven on.

I found this Betty Crocker Molasses Cookie Pouch the other day and knew it had an amazing purpose in my kitchen.  I just had to dream it up.  What is more fall the Molasses & Apples.  So with a little chopping and delicious idea, I threw these Autumn Apple Spice Bars together and they live up to my dream.  They are warm,  cakey, and perfect with a cup of coffee or hot cider.  I will be buying more Molasses Cookie Pouches!

Gather all the ingredients and preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Grease a 13×9 baking dish.

In a large bowl mix 1 Molasses cookie pouch, 2 eggs, & 1/2 cup melted butter or margarine

Stir in diced apples and pecans.

Spread batter in greased 13×9 baking dish and bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serve warm or store in an airtight container

Yes, I am on a breakfast kick.  It is the most important meal of the day after all.   My kids love granola; Bars, cereal, on yogurt, on ice cream, and just by itself.  I like to make my own because I can tweak it to everyone’s individual tastes, and I know what is in it.  No preservatives, chemicals, just whole foods.

Here is the recipe that works for us.  Feel free to play with it, and your families favorites and make a treat that your family will love!

September is the usher of Fall.  When we lived in Florida Fall didn’t even think about beginning until almost November.  However now that we are in Iowa ,there is already a crispness to the air.  The afternoons seem calmer, and the hustle and bustle of Summer is fading away.  It will soon be time for Pumpkins, Corn Mazes, and Apple picking.  Spooky little ghosts looking for candy won’t be far behind.

A big sign of Fall, for me, has always been baking.  When the weather finally cools off enough so that turning the oven on isn’t oppressive.  Homemade bread, muffins, and cakes start to grace my cake plate.  And the smiling little faces run in the door to see what I have filled it with today.

Seeing that I am getting in the Fall mood, I am all about pumpkin this week.  These Pumpkin Cupcakes are UNBELIEVABLY moist and delicious!  They are the perfect start to a long season of baking!

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F
In a large bowl, combine sugar and oil until blended. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, Pumpkin pie spice, salt and pudding mix.

Add flour mix to egg mixture alternately with pumpkin, beating well after each addition.

Fill lined cupcake pan 3/4 full and Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Whisk together powdered sugar, cinnamon and add 1 tbsp of milk at a time until desired consistency.
Dip warm cupcakes into glaze to coat. Makes 24 cupcakes!

I love feeding my kids a nice hot breakfast, but let’s be completely honest.  I am not a morning person.  I am not June Cleaver and I will not wake up at 5 AM just to put a hot breakfast on the table.  Most mornings it is cold cereal, granola bars, or microwave oatmeal on my table.  If my kids eat a hot breakfast, it is usually because I am cooking it for dinner.

Now this recipe is something that is right up my alley.  Baked oatmeal is not something that I had tried before, but it sounded delish and I was intrigued.  So I tweaked the recipe a bit for my family and whipped up a batch in less than 5 minutes.  Tossed it in the oven and my house smelled like a fresh pan of Oatmeal cookies.

My son is my pickiest eater and typically will not eat oatmeal, let me just say he ate this up and wanted seconds.  It is that good! So if you are looking for something nutritious to feed your little ones for breakfast but don’t want to get up early.  Bake a pan of this the night before. Heat it in the microwave with a little bit of milk and you have an amazing breakfast on the table in no time!

Gather all of your ingredients, 13×9 baking dish, and preheat the oven to 350 Degrees F.

Mix all of the ingredients in a large bowl.

Pour into a 13×9 greased baking dish and spread evenly.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

Makes 12-16 servings.

I have enough peanut butter for an army…I was informed by my 10 year old.  When you have 3 kids you tend to stock up on peanut butter.  With all the back to school sales Peanut butter is pretty affordable right now.  I was on a mission for a peanut butter recipe.  However, there are not many that don’t call for chocolate.  I made a comment about this in my house.  The general response was..”because they are good together.”  Well, I can’t argue with that.  So when I found a great Peanut Butter Popcorn Recipe I thought, why not add chocolate…I mean, they are good together. ~giggle~

This is great for a movie night, slumber party, or to give as gifts during the holidays.  You can always make a batch just cause you want something chocolaty! You could even add nuts. Don’t wait another minute.  Run to the kitchen and make this now!  You won’t regret it!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Popcorn

Print

Type: Dessert, Snack, Gluten Free

By: Amanda@AFewShortCuts.com

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 10 mins

This Gluten Free treat is sure to please any crowd. You can’t go wrong with chocolate and peanut butter.

Ingredients

• 
• 8 cups Popped Popcorn
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 Cup Karo Syrup (light) or honey
• 1 cup Peanut Butter
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• Chocolate topping
• 1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 TBSP Peanut Butter

Directions

1. Place popcorn in a large bowl or on a large cookie sheet….in my experience the bowl would probably be better.

1. In a heavy saucepan combine sugar and karo syrup. Bring mixture to a boil stirring constantly. Allow to boil for 1 minute.

1. Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla. Immediately pour over popcorn and stir to coat.

Chocolate Topping

1. In a microwave safe bowl place chocolate chips and 1 TBSP Peanut Butter. Microwave at 50% power for 30 seconds;stir. Continue until melted to a pouring consistency.
2. Pour Melted chocolate over popcorn.
3. Serve

Google Recipe View Microformatting by Easy Recipe

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