Whoopie Pies, Three Yummy Flavors

Whoopie pies are everywhere! I even saw a box mix for them at the store last week. I wondered how long it would take Betty Crocker to catch on to this phenomenon that's been swirling around the DIY, crafty blog world.

Remember the rainbow of whoopie pies we baked as part of my son's Rainbow Balloon Birthday party?

My cousin, Becca, helped me put these together and after we had them all laid out, she stopped and said, "It looks like a stoplight!" Haha.

Each color represented a different yummy flavor: Red Velvet, Lemon Cream & Key Lime, but all were delicious! Everyone had a different favorite by the end of the day. It was a tough decision!

We tried to keep things as simple as possible on the baking front, so for the Red Velvet pies, we used a basic red velvet cake mix, and for the lemon ones, a lemon boxed cake mix. The Key Lime flavor was a little trickier, but allrecipes.com came to the rescue with this easily adaptable key lime cake recipe.

To make the signature shape, we filled cupcake tins about 1/4 full and baked for 8-10 min each. I highly suggest keeping an eye on your first batch because these can burn quickly and your oven may be a little different. Cool on a wire rack completely before frosting.

To create the eye-catching color, we used Wilton and Americana gel dyes. And, in the interest of keeping things simple, we relied on a few tubs of store-bought cream cheese frosting for the filling. Boxed cake mixes, store-bought frosting - and it couldn't have been yummier.

These are a simple treat that add a lot of color and whimsy to your buffet table. I have seen an incredible array of whoopie pie recipes floating around the blogosphere these days. What's your favorite take?

Pinterest Made Me Do It

You know I love me some Pinterest. I've had way too much fun gathering some great ideas, tips and a whole lot of why-didn't-I-think-of-that's. I've heard a lot of people say that it's just a dumping ground for great ideas they'll never take the time to use, but I can honestly say I am taking full advantage of that beautiful website. I've made probably 1/2 of the recipes I've logged away in my Recipes folder (but somehow my list keeps getting longer!). Here are a few of my favorites...

Roasted Mushrooms, Green Beans & Potatoes. 

Find the recipe link here. I added potato wedges and doubled the dressing amount. So. Stinkin'. Good.

And in keeping with the theme of WHY didn't I think of this sooner?! that Pinterest seems to offer me daily, that recipe taught me to trim green beans, instead of snapping off the ends one by one. So much easier. Sometimes habit keeps us from an obvious solution to everyday tasks.

And then there's this amazing Dr. Pepper Cake.

I'm going to write this thing a sonnet. It's full of butter and sugar (full disclosure). Not for the faint of heart, but oh-so-good.

What have you made from Pinterest lately?

Cooking with Artichokes

I finally gathered up my nerve and cooked with canned artichokes. Does anyone else think they smell a little bit like crab meat?

I used this recipe from faithful P Dub and it did not disappoint. In fact, heavenly might be an appropriate adjective.

PS - How precious is Ree on her new Food Network show? I think I've become a groupie.

Norwegian Waffles

Starting a morning like this is hard to beat...

We whipped up a batch of my very favorite waffle recipe from All Recipes over the weekend and have been enjoying the leftovers all week. Why these are called Norwegian Waffles is beyond me. But, I've never been to Norway, so what do I know?

If you give it a whirl, I suggest adding about 1/4 C more sugar than the recipe suggests. Happy Breakfast!

Tonight's dinner in 10 minutes or less

I'm not kidding. 10 minutes for this recipe. And it will rock your world.

{My little helper wanted to be in the picture}

Have you tried these cooking cremes yet? And, yes, the way they spell "creme" drives me crazy too. I picked up the Santa Fe blend the other day and whipped up a fun little dinner creation that I think your family will love just as much as mine did.

Quick Santa Fe Chicken in 10 Minutes or Less

Saute 1/2 C chopped onion and a minced garlic clove in a tablespoon or two of olive oil until onion is transparent. Add 2-3 C of shredded seasoned chicken and stir. Spoon in the Santa Fe blend "creme" and 1 C of salsa. Mix well and cook on med-low until heated through. Serve over rice.

Easy-peasy and a great way to use up that leftover chicken. Enjoy!

Melt-In-Your-Mouth Basil Bread

Go plant basil right now. I mean it. Because the longer you wait to plant, the longer you'll have to wait to eat this bread.

You saw the pictures of my sweet basil harvest. Honestly, other than pasta sauce I really didn't know what to do with it. I left it alone for a day or two out of indecision until I finally put together this Basil Herb Spread. And you've just got to try it!

Basil Herb Spread
4 T butter
1 t parsley, chopped
1 T sweet basil, minced
1 clove garlic
pinch of salt and pepper

Combine the ingredients and spread on 1" slices of thick bread.

Slather it on, ladies. This is butter and bread we're talking about here. Now is not the time for calorie counting.

Broil for 2-3 minutes. No need to set a timer. Before it dings everyone in your house will be huddled around the oven door. It smells absolutely incredible.

My parsley is finally starting to peek through the soil. I can't wait to try this recipe again with parsley straight from the garden!

Spring themed Baby Shower

I helped host a baby shower yesterday for a precious friend and my only assigned task was to make a dessert. Since I had 8 extra extended family members spending the weekend with us, I thought it was the perfect time to make the most detailed dessert in my repertoire. {Insert: what was I thinking??}
But these mini-cupcakes are just so stinkin' cute that I couldn't help myself. Thankfully, they turned out to be a big hit, and hopefully made the mommy-to-be feel extra special.
I've made these before and you can see pictures and a link to the recipe here.

Twisted Black Beans & Rice

Let me introduce you to my new favorite twist on Jambalaya. I've had a hard time finding a recipe my husband and I could both enjoy because he prefers his food to have a lot of heat and I'm a spicy food wimp. I needed a compromise. Instead, I got a win-win! He loves it, and it won't burn off my tongue. Ding, ding!

I compiled a few of my favorite rice and beans recipes, tweaked them, made some additions and came up with this Black Beans & Rice (with a twist) recipe. I had no idea how it would turn out, but it was a huge hit, and has found its way onto our favorite meals list.

Twisted Black Beans & Rice
1/2 C chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 T olive oil
1 C uncooked brown rice
1 can chicken broth
1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can stewed tomatoes
2 T lime juice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 t paprika
1 t chili powder
1 1/2 t garlic powder
salt & pepper
1 (14 oz) package smoked sausage, cut into quarters

Saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. {I use a nonstick wok.} Add rice and saute for 3 minutes. Stir in broth and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to simmer. Cook covered for 25 minutes until rice is fluffy and there is no liquid remaining.

Pour in beans and tomatoes. Add lime juice and spices and stir well. Add sausage and combine.

Cover and cook on medium-low heat until all ingredients are heated through.

I can't imagine taking the incredible flavor of the smoked sausage out of the mix, but if you have the willpower to do so, this is a show-stopping low-fat, high fiber meal option. I hope your family enjoys it, too!

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A big thank you to Sumo's Sweet Stuff for featuring me today! What a treat!

Have you ever seen this before?

I cracked open an egg the other morning to make breakfast for my son and saw this staring back at me...Twins!

Creamy, Dreamy Banana Pudding

Before all of you banana pudding-haters go clicking away, let me assure you that I've got the same feelings. Not. A. Fan. But there's something about this recipe...

Maybe it's the creaminess of the pudding, but it's more like eating ice cream with wafers and a hint of banana mixed in. Either way, I'm absolutely hooked.

This recipe is a bit nostalgic for me. It came from an elderly woman at the small country church I attended growing up who was the epitome of the Proverbs 31 woman. She and her daughter made the Bible come alive for me as a little girl in Sunday School. I still remember their flannel graph lessons, and the tent she set up in the corner of our Bible class so we could better imagine what it was like for Moses to wander in the wilderness. She was a notoriously fantastic cook and our small town preacher practically begged her to make this whenever we had Sunday potluck dinners.

It's a treasure I'm glad to share with all of you.

Daisy's Banana Pudding
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 C cold water
1 (3 3/4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix (I use French Vanilla flavor)
1 (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
36 vanilla wafers
3 bananas, sliced, dipped in lemon juice to prevent browning

Combine the condensed milk and water in large bowl. Add pudding mix and beat well. Chill for five minutes. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon 1 C pudding mixture into a glass serving bowl. Top with 1/3 each of the wafers and bananas. Repeat layering (pudding, wafers, bananas) twice, ending with pudding and topping with wafers. Cover and chill. Keep refrigerated.


If you're trying to eat light, this can be a good option to satisfy a sweet tooth craving. I use fat free versions of the sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping and I can't taste any sacrifice in taste or texture. This is one rich dessert! Enjoy!

Magic Peanut Butter Cookies

3 ingredients. Gluten-free. Easy to remember recipe. Everyday ingredients.

Now that's my kind of cookie.

I call these Magic Peanut Butter Cookies because frankly, I have no idea how they work. They call for three ingredients:

1 Cup of Peanut Butter
1 Cup of Sugar
1 Egg

This basic recipe yields about 2 dozen, but doubling and tripling is easy. Making a double batch? Use 2 Cups of each, and 2 eggs. Tripling? Use 3 cups of each, and 3 eggs. It's a no-brainer.

What isn't a no-brainer is how these sweet things taste exactly like the recipe that requires flour, baking soda, baking powder, etc. I can't tell a difference in taste or texture.

8 minutes, 350 degrees.

Magic.

Texas Saturday Night

I'm guest posting over at Thrifty Decor Chick today! If you're new here, welcome!

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Every few months all of my husband's brothers and their families gather at our house for dinner. I love how all of our traditions melt into one unique meal as we gather around an often chaotic table. It's one of my favorite things.

Since it's been deer season around here, our freezer is stocked with venison. And nothing goes better with venison than stuffed bacon-wrapped jalapenos. {or so I'm told...I can't take the heat!}

4 simple steps:
1. Chop off the stems; get rid of the seeds.
2. Stuff with cream cheese.
3. Wrap with bacon.
4. Grill over medium heat, lid closed, 10 minutes or so. Watch them carefully. They can char easily!

Now, for the superstar recipe of the evening. We used venison backstrap and it just can't be beat. But stick with me, because even if you don't have any game meat on hand, this is a show-stopper for just about any type of steak.

Soak the steaks in apple cider. NOT apple cider vinegar. Apple Cider. It doesn't sound right, does it?! Let it sit covered in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

Then pour off the cider, pat the steaks dry (extra step, but important), and soak the steaks in barbecue sauce for 2-3 more hours.

Heat your grill and wrap the steaks in thick-cut bacon (we discovered that it did make a difference in the flavor if we went cheap and used thin bacon).
Grill the steaks on medium heat with the lid closed for 15 minutes, turning steaks occasionally.

Absolute perfection. If you love filet mignon, you'll love this venison recipe. And I don't have a final picture because I couldn't convince myself to stop eating long enough to photograph.

But to make it up to you, and to probably reinforce the redneck stereotype that so many people have about Texas, here's a picture of one of my brother-in-laws and our entertainment for the evening.

We're not rednecks, but we do say y'all a whole lot. Just sayin'.

Have any wild game recipes you want to share?

My favorite meal this week

**UPDATE: I fixed the link, so hopefully you'll be directed to the FREE version of this recipe, although you'll probably have to create a free account**

Looking for dinner ideas? I stumbled upon a home run this week for the best chicken tacos ever in under 30 minutes. And there's orange juice involved! Go figure!

Find the recipe here. (You'll probably have to create an account to see their recipe but membership is free.)

You had me at cilantro.

Not my best pictures...but definitely one of my best meals.
And a double layer cake to wrap it all up. It tasted even better this time because a certain very special 2 year old helped me bake it!
Any fave recipe links you want to share this week?

Breakfast in 4...

Why did it take me so long to discover corn grits?!

How do you juice this fruit??

My child adores pomegranates but I have yet to find an easy way to juice this fruit! Any suggestions?

The Perfect Party Appetizer

If you peeked into my recipes binder, you'd see that this one is well-worn. It's my go-to dish for parties and makes a great appetizer. There aren't any holiday-specific seasonings or flavors, but I almost always make this on Christmas Eve. It's hearty enough that the many boys in our family love it, but light and flaky enough to draw in the gals as well.
Sausage Crescent Loaves
2 cans crescent rolls
1 lb. reduced fat sausage
1- 8oz brick of low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 egg white

You'll see in all of my pictures that I doubled the recipe. It feeds a crowd, but always goes fast so I make a lot!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown the sausage and drain. Add warm sausage to medium-large bowl and stir in cream cheese until melted and combined. Of course, if you're like me, you never remember to soften the cream cheese. In that case, leave the sausage in the pan and add the (very cold) cream cheese. This way you can bump the heat on (but keep it on low!) if you need to to give the cream cheese a boost in the melting process.

Eventually, you'll have this. Let it cool completely before you start the next step. I usually put some plastic wrap over top and stick it in the fridge to speed things along.

Spray a cookie sheet and unroll both cans of crescent rolls out flat. Push any seams together that separate. Spread half of the sausage cream cheese mixture the length of each crescent roll sheet. Now fold the crescent rolls sides over on top of itself and the sausage mixture. Press down to seal the edges.

Now, when I say use half of the mixture, I can tell you from experience that it's important. But when you're doubling the recipe, it's harder to eyeball equal amounts.

So you end up with half of your loaves overstuffed...

And half of them pitifully thin...

Even if this happens to you, don't fret. All four of these loaves were gone in a flash - skinny and overstuffed alike. To prevent a mishap like mine though, I highly recommend not closing up your crescent loaves until you've equally separated out the sausage mixture for each loaf.

To add a yummy crispness, brush on some egg whites.

Pop them in the oven for 20 minutes and you'll have these lovelies...

Slice them into 1 1/2" slices. You've got a hearty appetizer, finger food, or party dish that feeds and pleases a crowd.

Enjoy! What's your go-to party recipe?

Linking to:

Remodelaholic ...

Upcycling Halloween Candy

I've already admitted I'm not a Halloween fan. But remember how candy was one of its redeeming factors? It most certainly is. And I stand by my claim. But I'm also noticing there's a little too much of it hanging out in my pantry. Maybe you can relate?

I also noticed that my name was next to "dessert" in the email sign-up for our weekly potluck dinner with friends. Perfect timing, perfect combination.

Halloween candy galore

+ not wanting to go to the grocery store again

= this heavenly concoction

But it's not all saturated fats and hydrogenated oils around here. You already know about my sneaky recipes, so this one should come as no surprise. Have you been hearing the buzz about Black Bean Brownies? I have. And I just did not believe it. It seemed a little too good to be true, in my opinion. But this Halloween Leftovers Trifle calls for brownies, and it seemed like the perfect opportunity to test it out.

The basic idea is that you drain and rinse a can of black beans, then fill the can (with beans in it) with water, then puree it all. Then you add the puree to the brownie mix instead of the traditional ingredients that go along with it. No oil. No eggs. No nothing. Just brownie mix and beans. Sounds absolutely disgusting, doesn't it?

I wish I had a picture of my facial expression as I poured pureed black beans into my beautiful, chocolatey brownie mix.

The results?
Not too bad, actually. They are super dense, and not quite as chocolately as the real thing. But all in all, I'd make them again. Hey, a brownie packed with fiber and protein that doesn't tempt me every time I pass by? Sounds like a winner to me.

Which leads me to the reason the brownies are here...and a recipe that will tempt you every time you open the fridge.

Halloween Leftovers Trifle

1 brownie recipe, prepared

1 pkg instant chocolate pudding (6 serving size)

16 oz frozen whipped topping

1 1/2 C milk

Candy bars, crushed

Chocolate syrup, for garnish

Prepare brownie mix and bake according to package directions in a 13x9 pan. Cool and crumble.

Prepare chocolate pudding mix according to package directions, omitting half of the milk. Let cool, then fold in 8 oz of the whipped topping.

Layer brownies, chocolate pudding, crushed candy bars, whipped topping.

Repeat, finishing with whipped topping. Garnish with crushed candy bars, and chocolate syrup.

Chill 8 hours.

If you can keep your hands off of it for 8 hours, you'll have this:

Not a bad way to use up leftover Halloween candy, huh? I can't wait to see the reactions from our friends after they realize they just devoured a dessert filled with black beans. Have you tried these sneaky brownies yet?

Christmas Cookies...It's Time

One of my recent assignments in my day job as a writer was to compile a list of cookie recipes, take pictures of the results and try not to gain 15 pounds. Easier said than done, I might add. It seemed like a no-brainer until I realized I had missed a word in the article description...Christmas. Christmas cookies?? In November?!

Thankfully, there are a lot of gals out there with their brains already in December who were willing to share their tucked away family treasures with me. It made me try some recipes I never would have otherwise. And a few that I will never try again...see Peppermint Candy Cane Cookies above. They are evil. I think I made 4 dozen of those things and the above pictured cookie is the only one that was photo-worthy.

As I was popping baking sheet, after baking sheet of cookie dough into the oven, I started realizing that in a month and a half, I would be doing the exact same thing all over again. All of that work. All of that time. All of that money spent on ingredients.

If only there were a way to make them last until December...

My initial thought was vacuum bagging. But (1) I don't have a vacuum sealer and (2) I didn't want to crush the delicate cookies I had just invested hours of my life in made. So I improvised.

To vacuum seal without vacuuming (make sense?), all you need is a zip-top baggie and a regular ol' straw. I put the cookies in gallon-sized bags and then sealed them all the way except for just enough room to insert a drinking straw.

Then I sucked as much air as I could out of the bags, quickly removed the straw and sealed the zip-top. The result is "vacuum-sealed" cookies that aren't crushed.Now I've got 3 gigantic batches of cookies pre-made and ready to go for the holidays. No stressing over holiday baking for me this year. Do you plan to join the November Christmas cookie bandwagon, too?

What's that?... You saw FOUR different types of cookies pictured and only THREE types remain in my freezer? You do the math...