Peppermint M&M Cookies

I love Christmas.  I love Cookies.  I love Christmas Cookies.  

I just took my favorite chocolate chip cookies and added some crushed peppermint and mini m&m's.  Now to find a cookie exchange to go to..... :)

Peppermint m&m Cookies

Ingredients:

2 cups plus 2 tbsp all purpose flour

1/2 tespoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

12 tablesppoons unsalted butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

1 large egg + 1 yolk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup crushed peppermint candies or candy canes

1 cup m&m's

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Whisk the flour, soda and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside. 

Mix the butter and sugars until through thoroughly combined.  Beat in the egg, yolk, and vanilla.  Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until combined.  Stir in the crushed candy and m&m's.  

Roll a scant half-cup of dough into a ball.  Holding the dough ball in both hands, pull apart into two equal halves.  Place the dough balls with the jagged surfaces facing up leaving ample room between each ball.  (this will give it that bumpy bakery look!).  Bake until the cookies are light golden brown and the centers are still soft and puffy, between 11 and 14 minutes.

All them to cool on the sheets for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack.  ENJOY!

Dark Chocolate Lace Cookies

I LOVE giving home baked treats as gifts to friends and neighbors, so I wanted to try this lace cookie recipe out before I made it a keeper...and it is a winner!  This cookie is wonderful - it's nice, light and crispy!  I hope you enjoy it!

Dark Chocolate Lace Cookies

recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod

Ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

pinch of salt

1/2 cup old fashioned oats

1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted

2 tablespoons heavy cream

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 ounces of dark chocolate, melted

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 375.   Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Combine the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and oats in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of your stand mixer, combine the butter, cream, corn syrup and vanilla.  Mix until smooth and slowly add the dry ingredients.  Mix until combined!

Drop about 1 teaspoon of batter onto the sheets, trying your best to make each cookie the same size. Only place 12 cookies on a sheet because they will flatten while cooking in the oven. 

Bake for 8-10 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes then remove and allow to cool completely on a wire rack. 

Melt the chocolate and place between two cookies making little sandwiches.  ENJOY!!!

Flour Tortillas

I made shredded fajita chicken last night and had planned to make quesadillas with the four tortillas I THOUGHT i had purchased at the grocery store.  For those of you who shop with 3 young crazies, you know why I might have missed a few things on my list.  Who knows...they may have even been tossed out of the cart when I wasn't looking.  I had the cheese shredded and chicken cooked before I realized I didn't have tortillas, or chips.  So I googled flour tortillas and made them for the first time!  I really loved the taste and freshness of them and will never go back to buying tortillas   They were super easy too - not perfectly round (sorry abou the horrible photo) but my family doesn't care about perfection!

Four Tortillas

original recipe here

Ingredients:
2 cups flour (your choice - I used all purpose)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 cup warm water (may have to use up to 3/4 cup)

In a large bowl stir the flour, salt and baking powder together.  

Add the oil and mix with your fingers to combine.

Add the water and work the liquid into the dough until a stick ball forms.

Wrap in plastic and let the dough rest for 30 minutes.

Divide the dough into 8-10 balls and cover them again with the damp cloth.

On a lightly dusted counter roll each ball out into a circle approx. 1/4" thick.  You can trim the edges if you want a nicely rounded shape.  

Heat a dry griddle over high heat for 5 minutes.  Cook each tortilla for 30 seconds on each side until the dough looks dry and has a few brown spots on both surfaces.  Don't overcook!  Wrap them up in a damp towel to keep warm as you cook the other tortillas.

You can also put them in the oven on low at 200 to keep them warm until serving   

Enjoy!

Spinach & Feta Quiche

I love throwing breakfast into the dinner rotation almost every week.  I wanted to try something new and had a lot of spinach and feta on hand so I googled and found this recipe.  I changed it up a little bit to suite the picky palates at our house.  It ended up being a winner!  Landon is a "quiche hater" and he went back for seconds.  It was the perfect combination!  I hope you enjoy it!

Spinach & Feta Quiche

adapted from this recipe over at Two Peas & Their Pod

Ingredients:

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

4 cups fresh baby spinach

5 large eggs

1 cup milk

3/4 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper, to taste

1 9-inch pie crust

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Line a 9 inch pie plate with pie dough.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the spinach and cook until it is wilted.  Transfer the spinach to a colander and press firmly with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the liquid.  

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and the milk.  Stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper.  

Place the spinach in the bottom of the pie crust and pour the egg and cheese mixture into the crust.

Bake for 45 minutes until the quiche is set and slightly golden brown.  Let the quiche cool for 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Here's another quick and easy pumpkin recipe for you.  I hope you are having a wonderful fall! I know it is going by SUPER quickly for us! 

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

recipe from allrecipes

makes 12 regular muffins and lots of minis!

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

3/4 cup pumpkin puree

1/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Grease muffin pans or use paper liners.

Mix sugar, oil and eggs.  Add the pumpkin and water.  In a separate bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.  Add to the wet mixture and mix until blended.  Stir in the chocolate chips.

Fill muffin cups 2/3 full.  Bake 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  If making minis - just adjust the baking time!  

Pumpkin Scones - Guest Post by Trisha

I would like to welcome my sweet friend Trisha to the blog today!  She is a friend from college, and our husbands played soccer together at a different college before Trisha and I knew they would be our husbands!!!  Pretty neat, huh?  Trisha's instagram makes me hungry all the time, and I have been dying to try some pumpkin scones.  I knew when I saw her photo I wanted her to share the recipe!  Thanks Trisha!!!

Trisha & Bryce - aren't they a gorgeous couple?!?

I'm so excited to be able to be a part of Tammy's blog!  I always love her posts and cannot wait to attempt the beauty she creates through her baking escapades. 

Let me ask you this. Who doesn't love Fall? I don't think there is one person who dislikes the cool, crisp season that brings so many nostalgic memories to mind. It's my favorite season! Probably because I didn't get to experience it growing up in Hawaii. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. The smell of spices in the air with different desserts and other yummy foods that surround the family table. And of course, pumpkin every thing is a must! Here's a pumpkin scone recipe that I found via Pinterest and it is absolutely wonderful! People of all ages (I tested it out on or youth group kids and young adult class) love it because it is a moist scone, contrary to most dry/crumbly scones. Not only does it taste good, but it is very easy and fast! The spiced icing is a fantastic way to top it off. 

Pumpkin Scones 
Recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Ingredients:

for the scones:

2 cups flour

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

6 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1 inch cubes

1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree

3 tablespoons half-and half

1 egg

for the powdered sugar glaze:

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

for the spiced glaze:

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons powdered sugar

2 tablespoons milk

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

1 pinch ginger

1 pinch cloves

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger.  Add the butter and toss with a fork to coat with the flour mixture.  Mix on medium-low speed until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with the butter pieces no larger than small peas.

In a seperate bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, half and half and egg.  Fold the wet ingredients into dry and form the dough into a ball.  Pat out the dough onto a floured surface and form into a 1 inch thick rectangle about 4 x 12 inches.  Use a large knife to slice the dough making three equal portions.  Cut each of the portions in an 'x'pattern (four pieces) so you end up with 12 triangular slices of dough.  PLace on a baking sheet and bake for 14-16 minutes until light brown. cool on a wire rack.  

While cooling, make the powdered sugar glaze by mixing the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. When the scones are cool, use a pastry brush to spread plain glaze over each scone and allow to firm.  

While the powdered sugar glaze is firming, combine all of the ingredients for the spiced glaze.  Drizzle over each scone and allow the icing to dry before serving (about an hour).

Chicken Pot Pie

I love quick and easy dinners.  I had a set of Pillsbury Pie Crusts just waiting in the fridge to be made into some kind of pie.  I picked up a roasted chicken from Sam's, picked the meat off, and made chicken broth with the bones (instructions here).  I also couldn't find my glass pie pan, so I just used a casserole dish, which I prefer so the edges don't burn while baking. Super easy, super quick.  Here's the recipe...

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded

1/2 onion, chopped

1/3 cup butter

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2/3 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place one of the pie crusts in your choice of baking dish.  

In a saucepan over medium heat, cook the onions and butter until the onions are soft and translucent.  Stir in the flour, salt and pepper.  Slowly stir in the chicken broth and milk.  Simmer over medium-low heat until bubbly and thickened.  Remove from heat, add the chicken and veggies and stir well.  Pour into the baking dish.  Cover with the top crust, seal the edges and cut away any excess dough.  Make slits in the top of the pie with a knife.  

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the pastry is brown.  

ENJOY!

S'mores Cake Bars - Guest Post by Lindsey

I'm so excited to have Lindsey here today to feature her S'Mores Cake Bars!  Lindsey is a dear friend from college who has a BEAUTIFUL family!  You can visit her blog Life (and so much more) here.  I just love visiting her blog for great recipes, gift giving ideas, and DIY projects!  Thank you Lindsey for sharing on the blog today!!

Hey y'all! I'm Lindsey. Stay-at-home mom of two, wife to the BEST husband and just a girl trying to make life fun and yummy for my sweet family. (And enjoying every minute along the way!)

I feel so honored to be a guest here at This Hungry Mama Bakes!

Meeting at college in South Carolina, Tamara and I have know each other for more than 10 years! (How can that possibly be right?!?!)

I have loved trying her recipes and I'm grateful for the chance to share a yummy dessert with you today!

Fall recipes scream PUMPKIN, of course. But, fall just isn't fall without a good S'more! So, in case you can't get to a camp fire anytime soon, here's an in-house S'more opportunity. It's so easy to make, take and eat! I bet you have all of the needed ingredients in your pantry right now! 

S'Mores Cake Bars

1 box yellow Cake mix

1 large egg

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

4-5 large graham crackers

1 heaping cup of milk chocolate chips

2 cups mini marshmallows

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350*. Line a 8x8 dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Make sure you are generous with the foil (covering up all sides of dish) and generous with cooking spray. Melted marshmallow can get messy!

Mix cake mix, egg and butter in a bowl until you have a cookie dough type texture. Press 1/2 of this 'dough' into the bottom of your pan.

Layer your graham crackers on top. Followed by your chocolate chips and marshmallows. 

Crumble the remaining cake mixture on top of the marshmallows and then pour the sweetened condensed milk over all.

Bake 30 minutes until the cake is cooked through and the top is golden brown. Let it cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then run a knife around the edges of the cake. (This will loosen the marshmallow and make removing the bars from the foil much easier!) Allow the cake to cool in the pan before removing and cutting into bars.

Enjoy! (And believe me, you will!)

(I adapted this recipe from one I found on Pinterest. You can visit the original recipe HERE.)

Thanks so much Tammy!

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

I always head straight for the meat section when I go to Sam's, and look for their "clearance" stickers.  I found some boneless pork ribs for a fantastic deal!  I googled some crockpot recipes to find something quick and easy and decided on this one since I had all the ingredients on hand.  The ribs came out very tender and delicious.  We had plenty left over, and I made Landon some BBQ nachos for lunch today.  Tomorrow they will be little sliders on hawaiian rolls for lunch!  THREE meals for only $4?!?  Yes please!  Hope y'all are having a great weekend!

Slow Cooker BBQ Ribs

Ingredients:

3 to 4 pounds boneless pork country-style ribs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup light brown sugar

2 cloves minced garlic

1 large onion, thinly sliced

1/2 cup apple juice

1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce (or 1 1/2 cups)

Instructions:

 Wash the pork and pat dry with paper towels.  Put the sliced onions in the bottom of the pot and place the ribs on top.  Sprinkle with the salt and pepper, brown sugar and garlic. Pour in the apple juice and cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Drain the liquids, pour the BBQ sauce over the pork and stir to distribute the sauce.  Cover and cook for 1 more hour.  Enjoy!

Crockpot Pumpkin Pie Steel Cut Oatmeal

I don't know about y'all, but I am welcoming fall with open arms.  We have been enjoying the cooler weather, warm soups, lots of family time and of course, many pumpkin recipes.  We went to a pumpkin patch and my friend Amber shot this family photo for us - I LOVE it!  ALL the girls are looking!

I love steel-cut oatmeal.  I usually make a batch (on the stove) at the beginning of the week to store in the fridge breakfast.  I decided to try making them in the crockpot. I adapted the recipe from Weight Watchers and I REALLY love it.   It smells amazing while cooking, and I have been enjoying it for breakfast every morning.  You can add your own "fixings"...whatever suits your fancy!  I usually add a few chocolate chips, flax seed, raisins and bananas.  It's like eating dessert for breakfast.  

Ingredients:

3 cups water

1 cup pumpkin puree

1 cup steel cut oats

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup honey (optional...you can add sweetener of choice when serving)

Instructions:

Put everything in the crockpot and stir together really well.

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Stir together well before serving.  ENJOY!

Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars

Pumpkin Bars

recipe: Paula Deen

Ingredients

for the bars:

4 eggs

1 2/3 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

15 ounce can pumpkin

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

for the icing:

8 ounces cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpin until light and fluffy.  In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda.  Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until combined.  Spread into a greased 13x10 inch baking pan.  Bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.  Cool completely before frosting.

To make the icing, combine the cream cheese and butter with a mixer until smooth.  Add the sugar and vanilla and mix until combined.  Spread on the cooled bars and sprinkle with cinnamon.  Cut into bars and ENJOY!

Pumpkin Chiffon

So I tried to merge my two blogs together, but for some reason I can't get it to work right?!?  If anyone has suggestions I would love some help.  I am going to just start transporting some recipes over whenever I have time.  I haven't made this one yet...but Landon has already requested that I make it.  It is my favorite recipe of ALL TIME i'm pretty sure.  Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chiffon

Crust:

1 3/4 c graham cracker crumbs

1/4 c sugar

1/2 c melted butter

Cream cheese layer:

1 package cream cheese, softened

2 beaten eggs

3/4 c sugar

Pumpkin topping:

2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding

3/4 c milk

2 c packed pumpkin

3/4 c sugar

1 t cinnamon

1 tub of cool whip

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350.

Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter and press into a 13x9 pan.

Beat together the cream cheese, eggs and sugar until fluffy. Bake at 350 for 25 - 30 minutes until the cream cheese layer has set. Cool completely before topping with the next layer.

Beat the vanilla pudding and milk for 2 minutes. Stir in the pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon and ONE cup of the cool whip (reserve the rest for topping). Spread this over the cooled crust. Spread the remaining cool whip on top. Refrigerate and ENJOY!

***I slimmed the recipe down a little bit...just used skim milk, 1/3 less fat cream cheese, about 1/2 of the sugar in the pumpkin topping, and lite cool whip. Hey...every bit helps, right?!?***

Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Here's a quick, easy, NO bake recipe for homemade granola bars.  They were a hit at our house!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter or coconut oil

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups old fashioned oats

1/2 cup crispy rice cereal

3/4 cup crushed pretzels

1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Place parchment paper in the bottom of an 8x8 inch pan.  

Combine butter, sugar, honey and peanut butter in a large sauce pan.  Stir occasionally over medium-low heat until it starts to bubble.  Once it starts bubbling, cook for 2 minutes stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.  

Add oats, cereal and pretzels.  Stir well until evenly coated and pour into the prepared pan.  Press the mixture evenly into the pan.  Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips and press into the mixture with your hands or a spatula.

Pop in the fridge for about 30 minutes, or so until firm.  Cut into bars.  Store in the fridge and ENJOY!

Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake - Guest Post by Kellie

I am so excited to welcome my amazingly talented friend Kellie to This Hungry Mama Bakes today!  She is my first guest blogger!  I would like to start featuring a guest every week, to build my "online recipe book" and give all my friends the opportunity to share a favorite recipe!

Meet Kellie...

Isn't she adorable?!?  She and her husband Daniel are just the cutest newlyweds...

Kellie & I worked at Northland Camp together over at Pioneer Village.  I have some fond memories of my last summer at Camp.  We need to have a reunion!!!

You can visit her blog here.  She has some amazing recipes and diy tutorials you will love!

Thanks for guest posting today Kellie....on to your Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake!

Happy October!  With the start of fall comes lots of baking!  It's one of my favorite parts of this season (though I usually pay for it with a few pounds).  I really enjoy following the lives of the Millers via Tamara's blog, "Four Girls & a Daddy", but I'm especially glad she has "This Hungry Mama Bakes" back in business!  I've missed it.  I appreciate Tamara letting me guest post on this blog.  How fun!

I want to share with y'all one of my favorite breakfast sweets, Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake.  A friend from camp shared this recipe with me several years ago and I've made it many times since.  It's an easy, go-to recipe to feed a lot of people.  My extended Kaminski family especially loves it!  I've make it on two vacations for them.  Now mind you, this is not a recipe for those of you trying to be super healthy (i try too)...because it is very sweet!  But maybe you can treat yourself!

Cinnamon Crunch Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

1 package of yellow cake mix

2 packages of instant vanilla pudding

4 eggs

1 cup vegetable oil

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 T. cinnamon

1 cup of nuts (pecans or walnuts or mixture)

1 cup water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 9x13 inch baking pan, or a 10-inch bundt cake pan.

In a medium bowl, stir together the cake mix and vanilla pudding mixes.  Add the eggs, oil, and water.  Mix until well blended.  In another bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon and nuts.  Pour half the batter into the pan and spread evenly. Sprinkle with half of the nut mixture.  Cover with the rest of the batter and sprinkle with the rest of the nut mixture.  

Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven and then turn the oven down to 325 and bake for an additional 35-40 minutes.  Enjoy this coffee cake for breakfast or brunch!

*visit my blog at kelliekaminski.blogspot.com!

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

The crockpot is seriously the best invention ever.  We use it at least 2 times a week here.  I wasn't sure how this Chicken & Dumplings would turn out - I hate soggy biscuits.  It was wonderful!  Landon said it also tasted great as leftovers the next day.  It made our dinner rotation and I just add whatever I have on hand to the pot.  Peas, carrots, rice....just to add some heartiness!  I promise you won't be disappointed!

Crockpot Chicken & Dumplings

Ingredients

3 Chicken Breasts, thawed

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (i used the healthy choice)

1 can chicken broth (i used the low sodium healthy choice)

1/2 onion, diced

salt/pepper to taste

any "mix ins" you like - peas, carrots, rice, etc.

Biscuit Dough (you can use the canned kind, or whip up some bisquick.  I used 1/2 of the recipe of bisquick for biscuits)

Instructions

Place the chicken in the crock pot and season with some salt and pepper.  Add the soup, broth and onions.  If you add rice, I waited to add cooked rice before I put the biscuits on. This will look gross....just kind of give it a quick stir and then cover and leave it alone for about 3-4 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low.  

Remove the chicken and cut or shred with the fork.  Return it to the soup mixture.  Cut (or tear) the biscuits into small pieces and stir them into the mixture.  Return the lid and cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the biscuits are done.  Enjoy!

Back in "Business"

A year ago I decided to stop keeping up with this blog.  For the last year, I have been referring to this  blog for all my favorite recipes.  It's kind of like my online recipe book.  It's actually easier to document my favorite recipes on here for easy reference, and I know that a few of y'all were disappointed that I wasn't sharing my favorite recipes......so I decided to start sharing again!  I can't promise the pictures will be pretty OR staged (i will try my best to make it look appetizing), but I CAN promise that any recipe I post is a keeper!!!  I've got lots of crockpot recipes to share, and some clean eating meals as well!

Here is a quick and easy recipe I made TWICE last week.  It is adapted from the Banana Nutella Cake with Nutella Frosting over at Two Peas & Their Pod.  Although I haven't made the frosting, I'm sure that it is AMAZING.  The cake is perfect without the frosting (and added calories) so I'll keep it that way for now.  I made it into muffins for a breakfast play date!  Please see the original recipe by clicking the link above if you are interested in making the frosting.  :O)

Banana Nutella Chocolate Chip Muffins/Snack Cake

Makes a 9x13 pan or about 18 muffins

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups sugar (i used half stevia/half sugar)

2 large eggs

1 cup plain greek yogurt (i used fage 0%)

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed

1/2 cup nutella

handfull of chocolate chips if you want!

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 pan or muffin tin.

Cream the butter and sugar until creamy and smooth.  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla.  Mix in the bananas.  

Whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add the dry mixture only until blended.  Throw in the chocolate chips and give it a quick stir if you are using them! Spread the batter evenly in the pan.  I didn't measure the Nutella, I just dropped little spoonfuls on top of the cake and swirled it in with a knife.  

Bake for 20-25 minutes for the cake and 15-18 minutes for the muffins, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

ENJOY!

Thank You!

It's time to say goodbye to my baking blog. I had so much fun blogging about some of my favorite recipes for the last year! I had a lot more time when the twins were little bitty to bake, blog and search for the best recipes. Things are a lot more crazy now, and I have very little down time. With Pinterest being the latest craze, I am sure that you are all getting your baking inspiration from there. I know I get hungry every time I log in! I'm sure that I will occasionally share some amazing recipes on my other blog. Thanks to everyone who shared my love for baking and tried some of my recipes. I loved hearing your feedback!

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

This is a recipe for soft sugar cookies similar to the Lofthouse cookies they sell at Wal-Mart. I normally stay away from packaged cookies but these cookies are always a temptation to me. These are wonderful! Hope you enjoy.

Ingredients:
For the cookies:
4½ cups all-purpose flour
4½ tsp. baking powder
¾ tsp. salt
1½ cups (3 sticks) butter, at room temperature
1½ cups sugar
3 large eggs
5 tsp. vanilla extract

For the frosting:
5 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tbsp.) unsalted butter, melted
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
7-8 tbsp. milk (plus more, as needed)
Food coloring
Sprinkles

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or baking mats. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in the vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients. Mix until incorporated and evenly mixed. Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.

Scoop a scant quarter cup of dough and roll into a ball. Flatten the ball slightly and place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart. Bake about 10-12 minutes or just until set. Don't over-bake!!! The cookies may be slightly brown on the edges...but no more than that. Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the frosting, place the confectioners’ sugar in a medium bowl. Add the melted butter, vanilla, and milk to the bowl and whisk until smooth. Whisk in additional milk as necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency.Add food coloring if you would like and use an offset spatula or spoon to frost the cooled cookies. Decorate and keep in an airtight container!

English Muffin Bread

I just love quick bread recipes! Here is a quick and easy english muffin loaf recipe. I halved the recipe and made 3 mini loaves. Hope you enjoy!

English Muffin Loaf Recipe (found from Allrecipes)

Ingredients:

2 packages active dry yeast

6 c flour

1 T white sugar

2 c milk

1/4 t baking soda

1/2 c water

1 t salt

2 T cornmeal

Directions:

Heat the mlk and water until very warm in a saucepan or microwave

Combine 3 cups of flour, yeast, sugar, salt and soda in a large bowl. Add the warm milk and water and beat well. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to make a stiff batter. (i used about 5 1/2 cups total). Spoon into two 9x5 inch loaf pans that have been greased and dusted with cornmeal. Cover with a tea towel and let rise for 45 minutes in a warm place.

Bake at 400 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove from the pans and cool. ENJOY!

Car Cookies

So I finally got around to baking some cookies in the car. I know. Kind of crazy. The neighbor's were probably wondering who the crazy kids were that just moved into this house. As if the late night furniture restoration shop we have going in our garage isn't enough...now this crazy lady is baking cookies in her car...and taking pictures of it. Brooke & I had fun though, and that is all that matters. It has been so hot that we have literally been stuck in the house for several weeks. I just used an oatmeal chocolate chip recipe and scooped each cookie out with a mini cookie scooper. I flattened each cookie with my palm so that they would cook faster. It was about 108 degrees outside on Monday and it took about 2 hours for the cookies to "bake" up. They weren't the most amazing cookies I have ever made, but Brooke REALLY loved waking up to freshly baked cookies after her afternoon nap. I love watching her smile.