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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

$3 for 3 items, I already had milk and eggs at home

It was hard to not buy ALL the Fall decor I spotted but I am waiting until we decide what our theme will be this year. I want simple with a tad of sparkle. I am sure I will find the things I need to make it happen. Here are some of the items I spotted on the shelves.

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?

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!!

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.

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

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

From The Garden, Making Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

I've really never been a huge fan of zucchini. I do love eating many kinds of veggies, but zucchini just never appealed to me. But that recently changed, and now I'm finding lots of different ways to cook with it.

These Zucchini Parmesan Crisps make a delicious snack or appetizer. We ate them with low calorie Ranch dressing with peppercorns, and there were requests for seconds. Next time I'll make a double batch.

The reason that I have begun to enjoy eating zucchini is because it is from our own garden. Having the garden this year, has opened my eyes to eating new foods, and ones I thought I wasn't very fond of. The zucchini will all be gone in a couple of weeks and I really will miss it.
Of course I can buy it at the grocery store, but it just isn't the same as growing it yourself.

The only thing I had to buy for the crisps was the freshly grated parmesan cheese. I like buying it in small batches from a little grocery store nearby. I used Panko breadcrumbs, but you can use regular, too. And I'm a bit addicted to Johnny's Seasoning Salt right now, but you can also use regular seasoning salt if you want.

Making the crisps is a great way to use up zucchini that you have grown, or friends have given you from their gardens.

I do recommend baking them on a wire baking rack if you have one. I think it makes them taste better.

Recipe for Zucchini Parmesan Crisps

Ingredients:

cooking spray
2 medium zucchini, about 1 pound total
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/4 cup bread crumbs, Panko or regular
1/2 teaspoon Johnny's seasoning salt, or regular seasoning salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a baking sheet or wire rack with baking sheet underneath, with cooking spray.

Slice the zucchini into 1/4 inch thick rounds. In a medium bowl, toss the zucchini with the olive oil.
In a small bowl, combine the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, seasoning salt, and pepper.

Dip each round into the Parmesan mixture, coating evenly on both sides. Press mixture onto round if needed.
Place on prepared baking sheet/rack in a single layer. Bake zucchini rounds until browned and crisp, about 25 minutes.
 Remove with spatula, and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce.

Eat and enjoy!!

Homemade Hummus with Cilantro and Avocado #hummus

I am currently obsessed with Hummus! It is so delicious and versatile to add to many dishes. I indulge in a hummus and pita chips snack a few times a week and love to find new ways to add flavor to my hummus creations.

I feel like I have mastered my Basic Hummus recipe to the texture and flavor I prefer. Some people like a silky smooth hummus while other prefer a bit of texture to theirs. Both ways are tasty but I make mine silky smooth. I achieve this easier with peeling the chickpeas and not including the skins in my recipe. It is a tedious task that takes time but worth it to me for the smooth texture.

Basic Hummus Recipe

1 can 15 oz. of organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 cup of Tahini paste ( I use Sadaf All Natural brand 100% sesame paste)
1/4 fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 garlic clove 
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
2-3 tablespoons of water
Dash of salt

Directions:
Drain and rinse beans, set aside 1/4 cup of water from can to add if needed to thin hummus. Add lemon juice and water to your blender first, then add rest of ingredients on top. Blend until smooth, adding reserve water as needed to desired thickness. I use a Blendtec one that has a "dip" setting that works perfect for this. Serve in a bowl adding a drizzle of olive oil and dash of paprika on top.

To make the Basic Hummus into Cilantro and Avocado Hummus you will add 1/3 cup of chopped fresh cilantro, 1 1/2 ripe avocados and 1 extra tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil.