Occasionally I do make something that doesn't contain sugar and cream cheese frosting...but only occasionally! :) Unfortunately I don't have a picture of this meal but that's okay, you'll get the picture with just the recipe. I found this recipe on SparkRecipes and absolutely love it for a few reasons 1)It is a crockpot meal, 2) It has FOUR ingredients and 3)you can eat it several different ways!
Ingredients
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken
2 cans of Black Beans
1 jar of salsa (16 oz)
1/2 cup of uncooked brown rice
Steps
1. Place uncooked chicken in crockpot
2. Pour black beans (undrained), salsa, and uncooked rice on top of chicken.
3. Cook on low for 8-10 hours and serve.
Ideas of how to eat this delicious meal
* As is, delicious!
* Topped with a little shredded cheese.
* In a tortilla.
I hope you enjoy this meal, you can also freeze it and heat it up later! Did I mention because it is a crockpot meal you come home to an AMAZING smelling house?! Also, I challenge you to share some of your favorite go-to recipes with me, always looking for something new to try!
Wednesday, July 23, 2014
Monday, July 21, 2014
I do...Cupcakes
It has been a while since I've updated the blog and I have missed it and my followers OH SO MUCH! I use my blog mostly as my go-to cookbook, so when I realize I am making the same recipe over and over again and it isn't on the blog I know it is time for a new post!
I was asked to make cupcakes for a friend's wedding this past weekend, I was honored she asked me to make her wedding cupcakes! We met up and talked about what flavors she wanted and how many and the details of it all! The one flavor Daly knew she wanted was my Salted Caramel frosting, which I usually do with a Pumpkin Spice cupcake, but her wedding was in July, there was no way I could do pumpkin! So we decided chocolate would pair very well with Salted Caramel frosting. The other cupcake flavor that we decided on for her big day was Champagne! I truly had so much fun being a part of this wedding and getting to share my cupcakes for the big day!!
Let's start with the Champagne recipe since that is the one I realize is no where on the blog (and VERY far back on my Pinterest board). This recipe is originally from The Doctor's Dishes, Desserts & Décor.
Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream (makes 18)
Ingredients for Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup champagne
Steps for Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and mix.
3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.
4. Whisk together champagne and sour cream (mixture will fizz a little).
5. Add flour and champagne mixture to butter and sugar, alternating, beginning and ending with flour. Batter will be thick.
6. Fill cupcake tin 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Ingredients for Champagne Buttercream
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon champagne
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar
Steps for Frosting
1. Place 1 cup of champagne in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
2. Mix butter and powdered sugar together. Once frosting is thick and fluff, pour in the reduced 2 tbsp. champagne plus 1 tbsp. champagne from bottle and mix well.
3. Frost cupcakes with desired cake tip (I use the star tip for this frosting and dust with edible pearls).
I typically double this recipe when using the icing guns (note that the above ingredients are NOT doubled).
Now, on to the Chocolate with Salted Caramel! Both of these recipes are previously on the blog but I'm going to post them again!
Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 24) originally from Glorious Treats
Ingredients for Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Steps for the Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute.
4. Stir in boiling water (your batter will be thin, this is correct).
5. Fill liners about 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 22-24 minutes, I still turn the pan halfway through.
7. Cool completely before frosting.
Salted Caramel Frosting originally from Made in Melissa's Kitchen
Ingredients
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups powdered sugar
Steps for Frosting
1. In a saucepan stir granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, watch it closely (very easy to burn the caramel). Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes until it is just barely warm and still pourable.
2. In a medium bowl, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy. Reduce to low speed and add powdered sugar. Mix until well combined.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add caramel. Beat on medium speed until light and airy and completely mixed, about 2 minutes. You should be ready to frost your cupcakes! If the caramel was too warm when you added it your icing will be runny and you should refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
4. I used a round tip to ice these cupcakes. Again, I double this recipe and amounts listed above the original portions not the doubled portion.
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I was asked to make cupcakes for a friend's wedding this past weekend, I was honored she asked me to make her wedding cupcakes! We met up and talked about what flavors she wanted and how many and the details of it all! The one flavor Daly knew she wanted was my Salted Caramel frosting, which I usually do with a Pumpkin Spice cupcake, but her wedding was in July, there was no way I could do pumpkin! So we decided chocolate would pair very well with Salted Caramel frosting. The other cupcake flavor that we decided on for her big day was Champagne! I truly had so much fun being a part of this wedding and getting to share my cupcakes for the big day!!
Let's start with the Champagne recipe since that is the one I realize is no where on the blog (and VERY far back on my Pinterest board). This recipe is originally from The Doctor's Dishes, Desserts & Décor.
Champagne Cupcakes with Champagne Buttercream (makes 18)
Ingredients for Cake
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup champagne
Steps for Cupcakes
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and mix.
3. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt, set aside.
4. Whisk together champagne and sour cream (mixture will fizz a little).
5. Add flour and champagne mixture to butter and sugar, alternating, beginning and ending with flour. Batter will be thick.
6. Fill cupcake tin 2/3 full. Bake for 18-20 minutes.
Ingredients for Champagne Buttercream
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon champagne
1 cup butter, at room temperature
3-4 cups powdered sugar
Steps for Frosting
1. Place 1 cup of champagne in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool.
2. Mix butter and powdered sugar together. Once frosting is thick and fluff, pour in the reduced 2 tbsp. champagne plus 1 tbsp. champagne from bottle and mix well.
3. Frost cupcakes with desired cake tip (I use the star tip for this frosting and dust with edible pearls).
I typically double this recipe when using the icing guns (note that the above ingredients are NOT doubled).
Now, on to the Chocolate with Salted Caramel! Both of these recipes are previously on the blog but I'm going to post them again!
Chocolate Cupcakes (makes 24) originally from Glorious Treats
Ingredients for Cake
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water
Steps for the Cupcakes
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute.
4. Stir in boiling water (your batter will be thin, this is correct).
5. Fill liners about 2/3 full.
6. Bake for 22-24 minutes, I still turn the pan halfway through.
7. Cool completely before frosting.
Salted Caramel Frosting originally from Made in Melissa's Kitchen
Ingredients
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 stick salted butter
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 cups powdered sugar
Steps for Frosting
1. In a saucepan stir granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook without stirring until mixture turns a deep amber color, watch it closely (very easy to burn the caramel). Remove from heat and slowly add in cream and vanilla, stirring until smooth. Let caramel cool for about 20 minutes until it is just barely warm and still pourable.
2. In a medium bowl, beat butter and salt together until lightened and fluffy. Reduce to low speed and add powdered sugar. Mix until well combined.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add caramel. Beat on medium speed until light and airy and completely mixed, about 2 minutes. You should be ready to frost your cupcakes! If the caramel was too warm when you added it your icing will be runny and you should refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
4. I used a round tip to ice these cupcakes. Again, I double this recipe and amounts listed above the original portions not the doubled portion.
Best Wishes to Daly and Riley!
Sunday, May 19, 2013
Camo Cupcakes
This is by far one of my favorite cupcakes that I've made so far, it just turned out so cute! Beware there will be another batch made for the premiere of the next season of Duck Dynasty! It takes a little time to put it all together but definitely worth it in the end! My mom actually found this recipe on Pinterest and forwarded it to me, it originally came from Crafty Mama's blog!
Here we go!
Ingredients for Cake
1 box white mix
1 box chocolate mix
Eggs
Oil
Green Food Coloring
Steps
1. Make up each batter from the mix and divide into four bowls: 1)White Batter, 2)White Batter with green food coloring and a dash of chocolate batter, 3)Equal parts chocolate and white batter, and 4) Chocolate batter.
2. Mix the batters until you get the colors you want (you may have more chocolate batter than the rest) This can be used for a few extra plain chocolate cupcakes!
3. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
4. I put each of the four batters into separate Ziploc bags (use pastry bags if you have them). If you use Ziploc bags cut one corner of each bag. Drop a blob into each wrapper until the wrappers are 3/4 of the way full.
5. Bake according to the directions on the box.
6. Once the cupcakes are done, cool completely.
Here are a few in process shots!
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I paired it with a buttercream frosting, I found this to be the most difficult part to get three colors on the cupcakes!
Ingredients for Frosting
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Salted Butter (2 sticks)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of Heavy Whipping Cream
Green Food Coloring
Cocoa Powder
Steps
1. Soften butter. Mix it with a handheld mixer for about 30 seconds.
2. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, turn your mixer on a high setting and whip the mixture for about 3 minutes.
3. Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl, and add the vanilla. Whip it another minute. Add a small dash of cream, whip for another minute.
4. Divide the icing into 3 bowls. 1)Keep this batch ivory, 2)Add a little bit of green food coloring and a little bit of cocoa powder, and 3)Add cocoa powder until it is the desired color brown.
Remember when using a tip to frost your cupcakes you might want to increase the recipe to about 1.5x the original recipe!
Put each frosting in a pastry bag (or a Ziploc bag) and combine into one large pastry bag to use the star tip. Making sure all three frosting bags were distributed through the star tip was the hardest part, but made for a fantastic camo cupcake!!
These can be made for a hunter in your family, a Duck dynasty premiere, OR you just want a fancy new cupcake! Enjoy!
Here we go!
Ingredients for Cake
1 box white mix
1 box chocolate mix
Eggs
Oil
Green Food Coloring
Steps
1. Make up each batter from the mix and divide into four bowls: 1)White Batter, 2)White Batter with green food coloring and a dash of chocolate batter, 3)Equal parts chocolate and white batter, and 4) Chocolate batter.
2. Mix the batters until you get the colors you want (you may have more chocolate batter than the rest) This can be used for a few extra plain chocolate cupcakes!
3. Line a cupcake tin with paper liners.
4. I put each of the four batters into separate Ziploc bags (use pastry bags if you have them). If you use Ziploc bags cut one corner of each bag. Drop a blob into each wrapper until the wrappers are 3/4 of the way full.
5. Bake according to the directions on the box.
6. Once the cupcakes are done, cool completely.
Here are a few in process shots!
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Ingredients for Frosting
3 cups Powdered Sugar
1 cup Salted Butter (2 sticks)
1 tsp vanilla extract
Dash of Heavy Whipping Cream
Green Food Coloring
Cocoa Powder
Steps
1. Soften butter. Mix it with a handheld mixer for about 30 seconds.
2. Slowly incorporate the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, turn your mixer on a high setting and whip the mixture for about 3 minutes.
3. Scrape down the sides and bottom of your bowl, and add the vanilla. Whip it another minute. Add a small dash of cream, whip for another minute.
4. Divide the icing into 3 bowls. 1)Keep this batch ivory, 2)Add a little bit of green food coloring and a little bit of cocoa powder, and 3)Add cocoa powder until it is the desired color brown.
Remember when using a tip to frost your cupcakes you might want to increase the recipe to about 1.5x the original recipe!
Put each frosting in a pastry bag (or a Ziploc bag) and combine into one large pastry bag to use the star tip. Making sure all three frosting bags were distributed through the star tip was the hardest part, but made for a fantastic camo cupcake!!
These can be made for a hunter in your family, a Duck dynasty premiere, OR you just want a fancy new cupcake! Enjoy!
Vanilla Bean Cupcakes
I think this recipe may quickly be making its way to my favorite cupcake flavor! The vanilla bean just adds a little something more than a traditional vanilla cupcake. I think I've included this recipe before but I thought it was a good time to highlight it again! The recipe can be found in my previous post, UPcakes! I color the frosting to be light blue (or more of a mint color, a theme in my life!) and edible pearls for a bit of flair!
Enjoy!
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Enjoy!
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Healthy Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
Do you have a sweet tooth but are really trying to eat healthier? Let me introduce to you this recipe for peanut butter oatmeal cookies! :) These cookies have no oil, no flour, no added sugar and no eggs, have I convinced you yet that these cookies are the way to go?! I found this recipe through a friend who raved on how easier they were to make and how good they tasted, so I headed over to her Pinterest page to find the recipe!
The original recipe comes from The Skinny Fork. Thank you for sharing your delicious cookie recipe with us!
These cookies TRULY are so easy to make and enjoyed by ALL! In fact, your friends might eat 3 before dinner! :)
Nutritional Facts per Cookie (entire recipe yields 18 cookies):
Calories: 88
Carbs: 13g
Fat: 4g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 168
Sugar: 4g
Let's get to the good stuff! The recipe!
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup reduced fat peanut butter
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats
1/4 cup nuts (dry unsalted peanuts)
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup reduced fat unsweetened shredded coconut optional (I didn't use in this batch, but definitely next time around)
Steps:
1. Preheat Oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Mix together the bananas, peanut butter, applesauce, vanilla, and spices. Add in the oats, nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut; stir until well combined.
3. Spoon a rounded 2 tbsp. of the cookie mixture onto the lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or two between each and flatten slightly.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes and allow to cool slightly!
Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert! Okay, maybe not for every meal but they do make you feel a little better than eating a typical sugar cookie for every meal!
The original recipe comes from The Skinny Fork. Thank you for sharing your delicious cookie recipe with us!
These cookies TRULY are so easy to make and enjoyed by ALL! In fact, your friends might eat 3 before dinner! :)
Nutritional Facts per Cookie (entire recipe yields 18 cookies):
Calories: 88
Carbs: 13g
Fat: 4g
Protein: 3g
Sodium: 168
Sugar: 4g
Let's get to the good stuff! The recipe!
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas, mashed
1/3 cup reduced fat peanut butter
2/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of ground cloves
Dash of ground nutmeg
1 1/2 cup quick or old fashioned oats
1/4 cup nuts (dry unsalted peanuts)
1/4 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup reduced fat unsweetened shredded coconut optional (I didn't use in this batch, but definitely next time around)
Steps:
1. Preheat Oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Mix together the bananas, peanut butter, applesauce, vanilla, and spices. Add in the oats, nuts, chocolate chips, and coconut; stir until well combined.
3. Spoon a rounded 2 tbsp. of the cookie mixture onto the lined baking sheet, leaving an inch or two between each and flatten slightly.
4. Bake for 20-30 minutes and allow to cool slightly!
Enjoy for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert! Okay, maybe not for every meal but they do make you feel a little better than eating a typical sugar cookie for every meal!
Crab Rangoon
I found this recipe on a My Fitness Pal forum, and was so eager to try it out! Each piece is 41 calories! Sign me up. Now I had in my mind they would taste like Surin's Crab Angels and they weren't quite as creamy but definitely delicious.
The original recipe says it makes 24 but I was able to get about 32 out of the recipe!
Nutrition Info (per piece):
41 calories
1.1g fat
2.7g protein
Ingredients
24 wonton wrappers
Olive oil cooking spray
8 oz lump crab meat
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2.5 tsp curry powder (could probably use a little less of this)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup reduced fat cream cheese
Steps
Preheat Oven to 375
1. Spray a mini muffin tin with olive oil spray. Push a wonton wrapper into each muffin tin.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine crab, Worcestershire sauce, curry, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
3. Mix with a fork, breaking up large chunks of crab.
4. Add cream cheese, mashing with a fork until fully incorporated.
5. Using a teaspoon, spoon filling mixture into wontons.
6. Fold ends of wonton wrappers over mixture, wet finger to seal.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, until ends are slightly browned.
8. Serve hot (garnished with scallions if you wish).
Enjoy!
The original recipe says it makes 24 but I was able to get about 32 out of the recipe!
Nutrition Info (per piece):
41 calories
1.1g fat
2.7g protein
Ingredients
24 wonton wrappers
Olive oil cooking spray
8 oz lump crab meat
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2.5 tsp curry powder (could probably use a little less of this)
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 cup reduced fat cream cheese
Steps
Preheat Oven to 375
1. Spray a mini muffin tin with olive oil spray. Push a wonton wrapper into each muffin tin.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine crab, Worcestershire sauce, curry, ginger, and cayenne pepper.
3. Mix with a fork, breaking up large chunks of crab.
4. Add cream cheese, mashing with a fork until fully incorporated.
5. Using a teaspoon, spoon filling mixture into wontons.
6. Fold ends of wonton wrappers over mixture, wet finger to seal.
7. Bake for 10 minutes, until ends are slightly browned.
8. Serve hot (garnished with scallions if you wish).
Enjoy!
Before sealing the edges over the mixture.
Ready to Serve!
Mexican Chicken Lasagna
I recently went to my first Pampered Chef party and for those of you who know me I know you are shocked that it was my first Pampered Chef party! I ordered the round baker which can serve as a crockpot for your microwave! Last week I tried my first recipe, Mexican Chicken "Lasagna", it was fantastic! I will be working towards adapting this recipe for the oven so it is more universal for my followers but if you have been searching for a dish to use in the microwave and make a fantastic meal contact Carrie with Pampered Chef for the round baker! The thing I love about the deep covered baker is makes prepping your meal very easy and the cook time is so quick! On to the recipe, if you have the regular deep covered baker please double the following. This recipe was provided from Pampered Chef.
Ingredients
1/8 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 can (14 oz) enchilada sauce
1.5 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 package (4 oz) cream cheese
1/3 chopped onion
6 corn tortillas
Additional chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Steps
1. Cook the chicken on the stove top with a little bit of olive oil until cooked through, dice, and set aside ready for assembly.
2. Chop cilantro leaves. Place cream cheese in a bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds, enough to soften it. Add cilantro and 1/2 cup of the Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix well.
3. Chop onion and set aside.
4. Spread 1/3 cup of Enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baker and the rest into a mixing bowl.
5. Assemble the lasagna, dip two tortillas into the enchilada sauce in the mixing bowl, line on the bottom of the baker, scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over the tortillas and spread evenly. Top with 1/2 cup of chicken and 1/3 of the onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip the remaining tortillas in the sauce, arrange over the second layer. Top with the remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the lasagna and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
6. Microwave, covered, for 6-8 minutes.
This yields 4 servings and has 390 Calories per serving!!
Enjoy this twist on Mexican night!
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Ingredients
1/8 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup (4 oz) shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1/2 can (14 oz) enchilada sauce
1.5 cups diced cooked chicken
1/2 package (4 oz) cream cheese
1/3 chopped onion
6 corn tortillas
Additional chopped fresh cilantro leaves (optional)
Steps
1. Cook the chicken on the stove top with a little bit of olive oil until cooked through, dice, and set aside ready for assembly.
2. Chop cilantro leaves. Place cream cheese in a bowl and microwave for 30-45 seconds, enough to soften it. Add cilantro and 1/2 cup of the Monterrey Jack cheese. Mix well.
3. Chop onion and set aside.
4. Spread 1/3 cup of Enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baker and the rest into a mixing bowl.
5. Assemble the lasagna, dip two tortillas into the enchilada sauce in the mixing bowl, line on the bottom of the baker, scoop half of the cream cheese mixture over the tortillas and spread evenly. Top with 1/2 cup of chicken and 1/3 of the onion. Repeat layers one time. Dip the remaining tortillas in the sauce, arrange over the second layer. Top with the remaining chicken and onion. Pour remaining enchilada sauce over the lasagna and sprinkle with remaining cheese.
6. Microwave, covered, for 6-8 minutes.
This yields 4 servings and has 390 Calories per serving!!
Enjoy this twist on Mexican night!
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