Friday, January 18, 2019
Valentine's Day Treats: Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting #valentinesday #cupcakes #recipes
~Post by Patricia
One of my very favorite food combinations is chocolate and peanut butter. I love it so much but wanted something more that just my favorite candy to enjoy.
Cupcakes are always welcomed by friends and family, so these were the perfect answer to a quick dessert, and also satisfied my chocolate and peanut butter craving.
The peanut butter frosting on these cupcakes is made with cream cheese, a frosting that I enjoy making and my family really loves.
The chocolate cupcakes is an easy recipe, and I always think homemade tastes so much better than boxed mix.
And if you keep the baking essentials well stocked in your pantry, you can be ready to bake so many yummy treats as a moments notice.
I made these cupcakes just for fun to have for dessert. My family loved them, and this recipe is definitely a keeper.
Recipe for Chocolate Cupcakes with Whipped Peanut Butter Frosting
Ingredients for cupcakes:
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk
Directions for cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cupcake tin with paper liners.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition, then stir in the vanilla.
Add the flour mixture alternately with the milk. Beat well. Fill the cupcake liners 3/4 full.
Bake in preheated oven 16-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.
Ingredients for frosting:
1/2 cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup unsalted roasted peanuts, chopped
Directions for frosting:
With an electric mixer on low speed, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, and confectioners' sugar in a bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes.
With a small spatula, frost cupcakes and sprinkle with peanuts.
Makes 18 cupcakes.
Tuesday, December 18, 2018
#Repost #ThrowbackThursday Holiday Cornish Game Hens and Cranberry Apple Stuffing #Ad
**This is a #Repost of a recipe from 2015** #ThrowbackThursday
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CornishHenHolidays #CollectiveBias
The holidays really are my favorite time of the year to be in the kitchen, and I love cooking for family and friends. It makes me so happy to bring everyone around the table for a delicious meal, and I like trying new recipes.
This year I bought Tyson® Cornish Hens to make, and they are honestly so simple to cook. And it's nice to change up the holiday menu, and serve the hens instead of the usual ham or turkey.
Not only are these hens fabulously simple to make, they are 100% All Natural with no added hormones or steroids. They are also yummy, comfort food, just like Mom used to make.
I paired them with simple roasted sweet potatoes and a great Cranberry and Apple Stuffing, made with an easy boxed stuffing mix. It might all look like a fancy dinner, but it was super simple!
I'm a big stuffing fan, I could eat any kind and love it, but this stuffing is one of my favorites. It's perfect for the holidays and makes your kitchen smell so, so good.
It goes great with any meat or poultry, and it went particularly well with the hens. I think the tartness of the cranberries and the sweetness of the apples are a great combination.
I bought a few of the the Tyson® All Natural Premium Cornish Hen twin packs. I put some in the freezer so that I can have them on hand for more holiday meals or birthday dinners that are coming up. I know some people are a little intimidated when it comes to cooking these hens, but when you do serve them, you can make even a normal weeknight meal feel special.
Look for Tyson® All Natural Premium Cornish Hens in the meat and poultry department at your local Walmart.
And you can take advantage of a great money saving offer from Ibotta. Ibotta is a mobile rebate app that you can download on your phone or mobile device.
Install the Ibotta app today and get $1.50 cash back when you purchase your Tyson Cornish Hens.
I'd love to share my easy recipe for Holiday Cornish Game Hens and Cranberry Apple Stuffing. Each hen provides a generous helping of meat for each person. Since the hens come frozen, be sure to put them in the refrigerator overnight so that they can defrost. Simply rinse them off and pat them dry with paper towels. I set them in a 9x11 inch baking pan with the sweet potatoes, and they were ready to be brushed with olive oil and seasoning.
I sliced up two medium sweet potatoes and put them around the hens to bake. We've always had sweet potatoes for our holiday meals and it just wouldn't be Christmas without them.
For the Cranberry Apple Stuffing, I sautéed 2 peeled and diced apples, along with 1 cup of fresh cranberries. I added this to a boxed stuffing recipe mix and popped it in the oven for 30 minutes. It's super festive without a lot of work.
Recipe for Holiday Cornish Game Hens and Cranberry Apple Stuffing
Ingredients:
1 Tyson® All Natural Premium Cornish Hens twin pack
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
1 tablespoon seasoning salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
For Stuffing:
2 tablespoons butter (for sautéing cranberries and apples)
2 apples, peeled, and chopped
1 cup fresh cranberries
1 box prepared stuffing mix
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup butter, melted
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Add yams to 9x11-inch baking pan. Remove thawed hens from wrappers, rinse and pat dry with paper towels. Place hens in baking dish.
In a small bowl, mix together dried onion flakes, seasoning salt, and black pepper. Thoroughly brush hens with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning mixture. Bake in the oven for 60 minutes.
To make the stuffing, heat 2 tablespoons of butter in a frying pan, sauté apples until softened. Add cranberries and cook 5 minutes longer. In a medium bowl, add stuffing mix, water, melted butter, apples and cranberries. Lightly mix together. Place mixture in a medium baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
Be sure to check out more great recipes from Tyson. Do you have a special holiday recipe that you love making? Leave me a comment and let me know what it is!
Thursday, December 13, 2018
German Apple Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting #Recipe #ThrowbackThursday
#Repost of a recipe from 2016 of one of our favorite #cake recipes #ThrowbackThursday
I don't know about you, but Halloween sort of exhausted me this year. Between cooking and baking, and parties and trick-or-treating, I needed a rest. Of course, these are all things I love doing and love spending time with my family, but it's a nice lull right now before the Thanksgiving madness starts.
I've been wanting to make this German Apple Cake for awhile now, ever since I saw the recipe in one of my Taste Of Home magazines. The combination of apples and walnuts are one of my favorites, especially during this time of year. The recipe actually calls for pecans, but since I had just bought a giant 5 pound bag of shelled walnuts, I used them instead and it worked out great.
I like this cake as one you can take on a fall picnic, or tailgating at the game, or to someone's house. It's sturdy and smells and tastes just like fall. The cream cheese frosting is one of my favorites, and absolutely worth the effort to make it. I really don't like the taste of already-made frosting anymore even though it's convenient in a pinch. But honestly, there's nothing like homemade.
Recipe for German Apple Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 cups chopped and peeled apples
3/4 cup pecans (or walnuts)
For frosting:
1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 teaspoons butter, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; add to egg mixture and mix well. Fold in apples and nuts.
Pour into a greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and butter. Add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth. Spread on cooled cake.
Makes 12 servings.
Monday, November 26, 2018
Holiday Favorite Recipes: M&M's® Hot Chocolate Christmas Cake Recipe #repost #throwback #recipe
***This is a REPOST from November 2015 #throwback
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias
The holiday season is here and I'm very excited that I've already started my holiday baking. It's my favorite time of the year to share desserts and treats with family and friends. I have the most wonderful memories of my mother being busy in the kitchen, baking delicious pies, cakes, and cookies.
My mom would save her change in a jar all year round so that she would be sure to have enough money when Christmas came so that she could buy the ingredients she needed for her baking and candy making.
I like to think about her when I'm baking for my children and grandchildren, and they seem to love my baking, just like I loved hers.
I've mentioned before how much I enjoy the seasonal M&M's® I always find at Walmart, and sure enough, the other day I found M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavor. So, so good!! And I also bought the Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix and Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting to make a yummy cake for my family.
It's so easy to whip up a cake with this cake mix and frosting, and I simply added hot chocolate mix and chopped M&M's® Hot Chocolate candies to the cake batter for a great hot chocolate flavor.
I also bought some M&M's® Holiday Peanut because peanut is my absolute favorite kind of M&M's®, though I have to say that all the other flavors are a close second.
When my four year old granddaughter saw this cake she said it was beautiful, and that is one of the reasons I bake, for love, for family.
I want her to remember her and I baking together, which we frequently do, and remember how much fun we had in the kitchen.
Simply add chopped candies and hot chocolate mix to the batter to give it that great hot chocolate flavor. I always make sure to use parchment paper and vegetable oil so that my cake doesn't stick to the pan, it works every time.
Put together and frost both layers of the cake, then the real fun begins! Decorate your cake with the sprinkles that come with the Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting, and the M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavored candies.
This is really such an easy way to make a fun and festive cake that you can enjoy at home, or bring to a holiday gathering.
Recipe For M&M's® Hot Chocolate Christmas Cake
Ingredients:
1 box of Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup hot chocolate powder
3/4 cup M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavored candies, roughly chopped
For frosting cake:
1 container Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting
additional M&M's®
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and place parchment papers (if using) into 2 8-inch round cake pans.
Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add in chopped candies and hot chocolate mix, stirring well.
Divide evenly into the prepared pans. Bake 20-24 minutes until done, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans, put on a wire rack and let cool completely before assembling and frosting.
Decorate with sprinkles and candies.
My family and I drink a lot of milk, we can go through quite a few gallons in a week. I always appreciate the low prices on Great Value Milk at Walmart.
Having a glass of milk with dinner and dessert is something that many people take for granted. But many families with children aren't that lucky, and go without milk and it's essential nutrients because it's not typically donated to food banks, even though it is in high demand.
More than 46.5 million Americans – including one in every six children – rely on Feeding America food banks each year. And one of the most requested food items is milk. But sadly, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year.
But we can help out by making a small donation at pourmilklove.com. The Great American Milk Drive will deliver a gallon of milk – and all of the essential nutrients, including protein, that it provides – to a family in need in YOUR local community.
When you purchase two bags of M&M's® at Walmart ( 9.4 oz. bags or larger) up to a gallon of milk will be donated to the drive. What a great way to help get milk to children who need it. And you can also make a donation to the Great American Milk Drive here.
You can find all these products, and additional flavors of M&M's®, at your local Walmart. Check out the baking aisle for all kinds of great dessert and baking ideas.
Use this coupon to save $1.00 on any two (2) bags of M&M's® Chocolate Candies 8 oz. or larger.
Be sure to check out more delicious holiday baking recipes here. And tell me what your favorite holiday recipe, I'd really love to know.
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #BakeInTheFun #CollectiveBias
The holiday season is here and I'm very excited that I've already started my holiday baking. It's my favorite time of the year to share desserts and treats with family and friends. I have the most wonderful memories of my mother being busy in the kitchen, baking delicious pies, cakes, and cookies.
My mom would save her change in a jar all year round so that she would be sure to have enough money when Christmas came so that she could buy the ingredients she needed for her baking and candy making.
I like to think about her when I'm baking for my children and grandchildren, and they seem to love my baking, just like I loved hers.
I've mentioned before how much I enjoy the seasonal M&M's® I always find at Walmart, and sure enough, the other day I found M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavor. So, so good!! And I also bought the Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix and Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting to make a yummy cake for my family.
It's so easy to whip up a cake with this cake mix and frosting, and I simply added hot chocolate mix and chopped M&M's® Hot Chocolate candies to the cake batter for a great hot chocolate flavor.
I also bought some M&M's® Holiday Peanut because peanut is my absolute favorite kind of M&M's®, though I have to say that all the other flavors are a close second.
When my four year old granddaughter saw this cake she said it was beautiful, and that is one of the reasons I bake, for love, for family.
I want her to remember her and I baking together, which we frequently do, and remember how much fun we had in the kitchen.
Simply add chopped candies and hot chocolate mix to the batter to give it that great hot chocolate flavor. I always make sure to use parchment paper and vegetable oil so that my cake doesn't stick to the pan, it works every time.
Put together and frost both layers of the cake, then the real fun begins! Decorate your cake with the sprinkles that come with the Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting, and the M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavored candies.
This is really such an easy way to make a fun and festive cake that you can enjoy at home, or bring to a holiday gathering.
Recipe For M&M's® Hot Chocolate Christmas Cake
Ingredients:
1 box of Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Cake Mix
1 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup hot chocolate powder
3/4 cup M&M's® Hot Chocolate flavored candies, roughly chopped
For frosting cake:
1 container Pillsbury™ Funfetti® Holiday Vanilla Flavored Frosting
additional M&M's®
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil and place parchment papers (if using) into 2 8-inch round cake pans.
Combine cake mix, water, oil, and eggs in a large bowl. Beat with a hand mixer at medium speed until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add in chopped candies and hot chocolate mix, stirring well.
Divide evenly into the prepared pans. Bake 20-24 minutes until done, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Let cool 10 minutes, then remove cakes from pans, put on a wire rack and let cool completely before assembling and frosting.
Decorate with sprinkles and candies.
My family and I drink a lot of milk, we can go through quite a few gallons in a week. I always appreciate the low prices on Great Value Milk at Walmart.
Having a glass of milk with dinner and dessert is something that many people take for granted. But many families with children aren't that lucky, and go without milk and it's essential nutrients because it's not typically donated to food banks, even though it is in high demand.
More than 46.5 million Americans – including one in every six children – rely on Feeding America food banks each year. And one of the most requested food items is milk. But sadly, food banks are only able to provide the equivalent of less than one gallon of milk per person per year.
But we can help out by making a small donation at pourmilklove.com. The Great American Milk Drive will deliver a gallon of milk – and all of the essential nutrients, including protein, that it provides – to a family in need in YOUR local community.
When you purchase two bags of M&M's® at Walmart ( 9.4 oz. bags or larger) up to a gallon of milk will be donated to the drive. What a great way to help get milk to children who need it. And you can also make a donation to the Great American Milk Drive here.
You can find all these products, and additional flavors of M&M's®, at your local Walmart. Check out the baking aisle for all kinds of great dessert and baking ideas.
Use this coupon to save $1.00 on any two (2) bags of M&M's® Chocolate Candies 8 oz. or larger.
Be sure to check out more delicious holiday baking recipes here. And tell me what your favorite holiday recipe, I'd really love to know.
Tuesday, November 6, 2018
Pumpkin Chicken Chili Fall Recipes #pumpkin #recipes
I know that pumpkin may sound like an odd ingredient to put into a chili recipe. But this chili is perfect for Fall night dinner, and certainly makes use of the stray can of pumpkin left over in the pantry.
No worries of your chili tasting like pumpkin pie, it won't, it will be unusual though, and I mean that in the best way.
This is the first time I have made Pumpkin Chicken Chili, but it certainly won't be the last. My family loved it, and the next time I make it, I'll make a double batch, and freeze half for another dinner.
I used chicken thigh meat instead of chicken breasts because I like the more flavorful dark meat. And it's less expensive, too.
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Share Halloween Treats With Your Dog and Make Fun Doggie Trick-Or-Treat Bags #ad #throwback #Halloween
#Throwback #Halloween Post from 2014
This post was originally compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #TrickOrTreatEm #CollectiveBias
Halloween is such a fun time around our house. My grandchildren love dressing up, and this year they asked if our dog could have his very own dog costume. How could I possibly say no, so off we went shopping, and our Chewie ended up with a taco costume.
We know the kids get all the treats on Halloween, but why shouldn't our doggie friends get their own fun treats?
While we were shopping at our local Fred Meyer for Chewie's costume, the kids and I thought it would be fun to make up some Halloween doggie treat bags to give to trick-or-treaters that would like to take home a treat for their own dogs.
Big Heart Brand Pet Treats come in several varieties, and Chewie really loves Pup-Peroni, Milkbone, and Milo's Kitchen. These are the treats we are using to make up our doggie treat bags, and these are really going to be some lucky dogs!!
You can have some doggie Halloween fun yourself on the Trick Or Treat Em website. Just answer a few questions and find out your pets Halloween personality, upload a picture of your pet in their Halloween costume to a fun Halloween picture frame, and get coupons to save on dog treats.
To make the treat bags, I just bought regular candy bags and filled them up with a Pup-Peroni stick, a Milo's Kitchen treat, and a few Milkbone flavor snacks.
I also made the orange tags that say 'doggie treats', and tied them on to the bags so that they wouldn't accidently be confused with regular bags of treats.
We live on a street with lots of dogs, and dog-loving owners, so I know these are going to be a big hit in our neighborhood.
I have to confess that I've never been a big dog lover, but getting Chewie changed all that. And I'm having so much fun with him, that buying him his own Halloween costume, and making his buddies treat bags is great.
I found Milo's Kitchen, Milkbone, and Pup-Peroni dog treats all at my local Fred Meyer store, located in the dog food aisle. I like the ease and convenience of picking them up here, and not having to go to a pet store, where prices are always higher.
My family and I can't wait for Halloween this year, and we're planning on taking Chewie the
Taco with us when we go trick-or-treating.
Be sure and give your own dogs a treat this year on Halloween, for all the love, affection and laughter they provide us all-year round.
How about you, do you have a Halloween costume for your dog, and do you take them trick-or-treating?
Halloween is such a fun time around our house. My grandchildren love dressing up, and this year they asked if our dog could have his very own dog costume. How could I possibly say no, so off we went shopping, and our Chewie ended up with a taco costume.
We know the kids get all the treats on Halloween, but why shouldn't our doggie friends get their own fun treats?
While we were shopping at our local Fred Meyer for Chewie's costume, the kids and I thought it would be fun to make up some Halloween doggie treat bags to give to trick-or-treaters that would like to take home a treat for their own dogs.
Big Heart Brand Pet Treats come in several varieties, and Chewie really loves Pup-Peroni, Milkbone, and Milo's Kitchen. These are the treats we are using to make up our doggie treat bags, and these are really going to be some lucky dogs!!
You can have some doggie Halloween fun yourself on the Trick Or Treat Em website. Just answer a few questions and find out your pets Halloween personality, upload a picture of your pet in their Halloween costume to a fun Halloween picture frame, and get coupons to save on dog treats.
To make the treat bags, I just bought regular candy bags and filled them up with a Pup-Peroni stick, a Milo's Kitchen treat, and a few Milkbone flavor snacks.
I also made the orange tags that say 'doggie treats', and tied them on to the bags so that they wouldn't accidently be confused with regular bags of treats.
We live on a street with lots of dogs, and dog-loving owners, so I know these are going to be a big hit in our neighborhood.
I have to confess that I've never been a big dog lover, but getting Chewie changed all that. And I'm having so much fun with him, that buying him his own Halloween costume, and making his buddies treat bags is great.
I found Milo's Kitchen, Milkbone, and Pup-Peroni dog treats all at my local Fred Meyer store, located in the dog food aisle. I like the ease and convenience of picking them up here, and not having to go to a pet store, where prices are always higher.
My family and I can't wait for Halloween this year, and we're planning on taking Chewie the
Taco with us when we go trick-or-treating.
Be sure and give your own dogs a treat this year on Halloween, for all the love, affection and laughter they provide us all-year round.
How about you, do you have a Halloween costume for your dog, and do you take them trick-or-treating?
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Celebrating Fall Hot Apple Cider And Candy Apples Recipes #HarvestFun #ad #throwback
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CollectiveBias #ad #HarvestFun
This is a #throwback from 2013 of one of our favorite #shops we have done with #CollectiveBias
My favorite season is fall, and here, the leaves are already beginning to turn gold.
I'm very excited about the fall baking that I will be doing, and making favorite fall recipes and discovering new ones, too.
I love making fall treats for family and friends. I'm a grandmother to four little ones, and they love it when I make or bake something delicious just for them.
This weekend I could feel fall in the air, so I decided to make candy apples with Candy Corn flavored M&M's, and some delicious Mott's hot apple cider.
I went shopping at Walmart to buy the new fall packaged M&M's. They come in four flavors, including Peanut, Peanut Butter, Milk Chocolate, and the flavor I bought, Candy Corn.
I have made candy apples with M&M's before, and they are always a hit. They are great for fall activities where a treat is needed, and the perfect cute spin on giving an apple to your child's teacher.
Candy apples are easy to make, and it's fun to find different ingredients to make the outside coating taste delicious.
Candy corn is something we always have on hand in the fall, so I knew the Candy Corn flavored M&M's would be great to roll the caramel apples in. I just used my mini Magic Bullet to chop the M&M's, dipped the apples in the melted caramel, and then rolled them in the candy.
I really love giving candy apples as an unexpected little gift, or a thank you. I almost feel guilty for how little effort it took to make them, when the receiver is so happy to get them.
These were a huge hit this weekend with my kids and grandkids, so I'll try the other flavors of the fall M&M's too, especially the peanut kind.
I also made some hot apple cider this weekend, and we sat outside on the deck with it in the evening. This could be the last time we will be doing that, as the evenings are getting quite chilly.
I like making my apple cider with a bit of a citrus twist, by adding orange juice and lemon juice to the Mott's apple juice. This recipe can be doubled or tripled for a larger group, and not only do the adults love it, but the kids do to.
And your kitchen will smell deliciously like cinnamon and spices.
I've been buying the Mott's brand of apple juice for years, and gave it to my children, and now to my grandchildren.
It's the base of this great tasting apple cider with a twist. I like heating a cup of this cider in the microwave for myself in the afternoon or evening.
For me, nothing says fall like apple cider. It's so easy to make your own, and it tastes so much better than the bottled kind.
I love how cute these apples came out, and my daughter thought they would make sweet gifts for the teachers on Back To School Night.
Recipe for Candy Corn Flavored M&M Candy Apples
Ingredients:
5 apples, washed and dried
5 popsicle sticks
1 11 ounce package Kraft Caramel Bits
2 bags Candy Corn flavored M&M's
Directions:
Insert popsicle sticks about half way into apples.
In batches, chop up M&M's in a Magic Bullet or blender. Heat caramel bits according to package directions.
Dip apples in caramel and twist by stick to remove excess. Roll in crushed M&M's, then place on waxed paper. Place in fridge to set and cool.
Recipe for Mott's Hot Apple Cider With a Citrus Twist
Ingredients:
1 quart Mott's Apple Juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 table spoons cloves or cider spice mix
Additional cinnamon sticks for serving with cider
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine the first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Strain, discarding cinnamon stick and cloves. Serve warm, garnish with additional cinnamon sticks.
Makes 5 cups.
For more great ideas visit the Fall Baking and Entertaining Pinterest Board.
This is a #throwback from 2013 of one of our favorite #shops we have done with #CollectiveBias
I'm very excited about the fall baking that I will be doing, and making favorite fall recipes and discovering new ones, too.
I love making fall treats for family and friends. I'm a grandmother to four little ones, and they love it when I make or bake something delicious just for them.
This weekend I could feel fall in the air, so I decided to make candy apples with Candy Corn flavored M&M's, and some delicious Mott's hot apple cider.
I went shopping at Walmart to buy the new fall packaged M&M's. They come in four flavors, including Peanut, Peanut Butter, Milk Chocolate, and the flavor I bought, Candy Corn.
I have made candy apples with M&M's before, and they are always a hit. They are great for fall activities where a treat is needed, and the perfect cute spin on giving an apple to your child's teacher.
Candy apples are easy to make, and it's fun to find different ingredients to make the outside coating taste delicious.
Candy corn is something we always have on hand in the fall, so I knew the Candy Corn flavored M&M's would be great to roll the caramel apples in. I just used my mini Magic Bullet to chop the M&M's, dipped the apples in the melted caramel, and then rolled them in the candy.
I really love giving candy apples as an unexpected little gift, or a thank you. I almost feel guilty for how little effort it took to make them, when the receiver is so happy to get them.
These were a huge hit this weekend with my kids and grandkids, so I'll try the other flavors of the fall M&M's too, especially the peanut kind.
I also made some hot apple cider this weekend, and we sat outside on the deck with it in the evening. This could be the last time we will be doing that, as the evenings are getting quite chilly.
I like making my apple cider with a bit of a citrus twist, by adding orange juice and lemon juice to the Mott's apple juice. This recipe can be doubled or tripled for a larger group, and not only do the adults love it, but the kids do to.
And your kitchen will smell deliciously like cinnamon and spices.
I've been buying the Mott's brand of apple juice for years, and gave it to my children, and now to my grandchildren.
It's the base of this great tasting apple cider with a twist. I like heating a cup of this cider in the microwave for myself in the afternoon or evening.
For me, nothing says fall like apple cider. It's so easy to make your own, and it tastes so much better than the bottled kind.
I love how cute these apples came out, and my daughter thought they would make sweet gifts for the teachers on Back To School Night.
Recipe for Candy Corn Flavored M&M Candy Apples
Ingredients:
5 apples, washed and dried
5 popsicle sticks
1 11 ounce package Kraft Caramel Bits
2 bags Candy Corn flavored M&M's
Directions:
Insert popsicle sticks about half way into apples.
In batches, chop up M&M's in a Magic Bullet or blender. Heat caramel bits according to package directions.
Dip apples in caramel and twist by stick to remove excess. Roll in crushed M&M's, then place on waxed paper. Place in fridge to set and cool.
Recipe for Mott's Hot Apple Cider With a Citrus Twist
Ingredients:
1 quart Mott's Apple Juice
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 table spoons cloves or cider spice mix
Additional cinnamon sticks for serving with cider
Directions:
In a large saucepan, combine the first 8 ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat: simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
Strain, discarding cinnamon stick and cloves. Serve warm, garnish with additional cinnamon sticks.
Makes 5 cups.
For more great ideas visit the Fall Baking and Entertaining Pinterest Board.
Friday, October 12, 2018
Frugal Friday: Pumpkin Spice Muffins from 99 Cents Only Store #FrugalFriday #Frugal #dothe99
I will admit I am obsessed with shopping at the 99 Cents Only Store!! I have shopped at them since I was a teenager in Southern Cali and would get giants candy canes for my classmates for Christmas. That was well over 20 years ago and I was hooked with the low price on hundreds of items.
Now as a Mom I find the need to be frugal a fabulous adventure of what can I find a good deal on today. The 99 Cents Only Store makes it fun for even my son since he knows I will more than likely say yes to things he will ask for. We went in today to grab some bread and take a peek at the seasonal items that were in stock. I ended up finding some Pumpkin Spice themed decor and a muffin mix. I squealed and my husband rolled his eyes when I saw the Pumpkin Spice and Everything Nice sign. Its in my kitchen now! I decided to add my personal touch to a pre-made mixture by topping the muffins with honey and pumpkin seeds.
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| $3 for 3 items, I already had milk and eggs at home |
I was pleased with my semi homemade muffins that I will be bringing to work for a coworker who is celebrating her birthday. They are sweet and simple. I LOVE the Fall themed cupcake liners that I bought at the store.
Do you have a 99 Cents Only Store near you? What fabulous finds have you purchased there? Do you have any tips for a Semi-homemade recipe I can borrow for Fall Treats?
Tuesday, September 25, 2018
Celebrate Fall Soups: Sweet Potato Soup Recipe #soup #recipe #fall
Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite vegetables during the fall and winter. I love their sweet flavor, and the fact that they are very healthy for you. I often roast up a batch as a side dish for dinner, and then will eat the leftovers for lunch during the week.
My local indoor farmer's market had them for a great price last weekend, so I ended up buying quite a few pounds of them. And as much as I love them, I can only eat so many roasted sweet potatoes.
Since I'm such a big fan of cooking Butternut Squash Soup, I thought that the sweet potatoes would make a great pot of soup, too.
The soup is quite delicious, and I even managed to get my grandson to have a small bowl. Nothing makes me happier than to see my grandchildren try new foods, especially ones that are good for them.
Since the weather is so cold and snowy in lots of the country still, this is a wonderful soup to make and enjoy for a cozy lunch or dinner.
Recipe for Sweet Potato Soup
Ingredients:
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onions
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 cups chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions:
In a Dutch oven, saute celery and onion in oil until tender. Add remaining ingredients; bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat; simmer for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
Discard bay leaf. Using an emersion blender, puree soup until smooth. Or, using a regular blender, process soup in batches until smooth. Return batches to pan and heat through. Use desired toppings.
Makes 4 servings.
Enjoy!!
Friday, September 21, 2018
Celebrate Fall Soups: Italian Sausage, Noodle, and Kale Soup Recipe #soup #recipe #Fall
I seriously can't seem to stop making soup. I hadn't made it in years, and once I got started, my family loved it so much that I'm happily making it quite often.
It seems that the heartiness of those onions, carrots and garlic that are the beginnings of so many soups, are actually quite comforting on a cool Fall day in the kitchen.
I could eat Italian sausage for breakfast, lunch and dinner, that's how much I love it. It's quite delicious in this soup, and the kale adds a healthy boost to it.
I shied away from kale for a long time, but now I'm a big, big fan. It adds texture and heartiness to so many dishes, and it is just so good for you.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Celebrate Fall Soups: Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup #soup #recipe #Fall
The Fall is so close I can taste it! We are celebrating Fall and the love of SOUP by posting our favorite Soups we have made over the years.
During September and November we will be posting Fall Soup Recipes on the blog. Let us know which ones are your favorite that we have made and share a link to your favorite soup.
This is a super delicious soup that comes together pretty quickly, perfect for a main dish along side some crusty bread, or even cornbread.
You can also change up the veggies if you don't have all of these on hand.
Recipe for Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup:
Ingredients:
32 ounce box of chicken broth
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup frozen corn
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup frozen green beans
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
3 cups uncooked egg noodles
2 cups shredded chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Monday, August 20, 2018
Easy Strawberry Cinnamon Bread #breakfast
Strawberries are still plentiful at the farmer's markets and grocery stores, so I am trying to take advantage of that before fall arrives. I think it is so crazy how summer is just flying by, and before we know it, the season will be over.
So meanwhile, I have made this quick and easy fruit bread. It's cheating a little bit because this recipe calls for a can of refrigerated cinnamon rolls as its base, but that is what makes it so easy to make.
The great thing about this strawberry cinnamon bread is that it's delicious for breakfast, brunch, or dessert, along with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.
I'm really finding that using coffee creamer to cook with is versatile and economical. I used my favorite flavor in this recipe, Sweet Italian Cream.
This recipe really only takes a few minutes to put together. You can also easily double it if you are serving it when you are entertaining.
Make sure the cinnamon rolls are completely covered by the egg and strawberry mixture. You can also make this with peaches or other kinds of berries.
Recipe for Quick Strawberry Cinnamon Bread
Ingredients:
1 can good quality refrigerated cinnamon rolls, with frosting
1 cup strawberries, cut in half and slightly smashed with a fork
3 eggs
1/4 cup coffee creamer, Sweet Italian Cream, or Vanilla flavor
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Open cinnamon rolls and place evenly into a greased 9x9 baking dish.
In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, coffee creamer, cinnamon and vanilla. Stir in strawberries.
Pour egg mixture over cinnamon rolls in baking dish.
Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes, or until eggs are set, and rolls are golden.
Let rolls sit 5 minutes after coming out of oven.
Microwave frosting about 10 seconds, and then pour over bread.
Serve or at room temperature,
Serves 4-6
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