Showing posts with label recipe. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

Virtual Cookie Exchange: Peanut Butterfinger Bit Cookies

Welcome to the Virtual Cookie Exchange.

I couldn't decide which cookies I wanted to post for you today. But I decided on the Peanut Butterfinger Bit Cookies.

I love to bake, I really do. And I can NOT wait until we get our kitchen redone and I have more room for baking. I used to stick to the basic cookies, but recently I have branched out and started making different kinds. I will share some of those as well, but we'll focus on my Butterfinger cookies.

Last year, my mom signed herself up for an actual cookie exchange, but the twist was that I was the one doing all the work and she got to go to the exchange. Not fair!! That was like 8 dozen cookies I had to bake!!! And this is the recipe we used for that exchange.

Here are some from our most recent batch. The family really does love these. Image may contain: food

My 9 year old and her BFF actually made those.

On to the Recipe!!!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1stick) unsalted butter, melted

1/2 cup of sugar

1/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1 large egg

1 cup Nestle Butterfinger Candy Bar Bits

Preheat oven to 350. Line baking sheets with Parchment paper.

Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. stir

Beat butter, sugar and brown sugar in a large mixer bowl until combined. Beat in peanut butter until combined. Beat in egg

Gradually stir in flour mixture. Stir in Butterfinger bits. Roll dough into balls using a slightly rounded tablespoon. Place on baking sheets spacing about 2 inches apart. Flatten balls slightly with a fork or the palm of your hand.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are set but centers are still soft. (They may look underdone) Cool on baking sheets for 4 minutes, remove to wire racks to cool completely.

So I also tried this Red Velvet Cookie, cause my hubby loves Red Velvet Cake. Here is how they turned out. They are so dark, because I was almost out of red food coloring.

But he LOVED them!! You can try them too--> https://www.dessertfortwo.com/red-velvet-sugar-cookies/

Visit the other blogs to find more delicious cookies!!

December 5

Tuesday, September 19, 2017

Doughnut Hole Pumpkins

I got this recipe from Imperial Sugar newsletter.

Prep time : 0:60

Yield : 58 doughnuts

INGREDIENTS

Pumpkin Spice Doughnut Holes

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup Imperial Sugar Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
6-8 cups vegetable oil

Pumpkin Glaze

20 ounces orange candy melts
6 1/2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1 1/3 cup Imperial Sugar Confectioners Powdered Sugar
5 tablespoons pumpkin puree
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Decoration

2 ounces dark green candy clay or fondant

*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.

DIRECTIONS

To make doughnut holes - Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
In a separate bowl, cream sugar and butter until light and fluffy.Stir in egg, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree until well blended.
Pour in flour mixture and stir just until combined.Cover with plastic wrap and set aside.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan until it reaches 350°F.
Uncover dough and scoop 1 teaspoon size balls of dough into hot oil.Fry flipping doughnuts over until deep golden brown on all sides and cooked through.
Remove doughnuts from oil and set on paper towels to drain. Repeat, maintaining 350°F, until all doughnuts are fried.
Let donuts cool completely.
Use your fingers to rub any spikes of fried dough off doughnuts making them smooth and round.
Once doughnuts are cool, prepare glaze - Pour orange candy melts and heavy whipping cream into a microwave-safe bowl. Heat on high power for 1 minute.Let bowl of candy melts rest in microwave for 3 minutes then remove and stir until melted and smooth. If needed, reheat for 10 second increments, stirring after each, until melted.
Stir in powdered sugar, pumpkin puree, and cinnamon until smooth.Let glaze cool until slightly thickened.
Poke a toothpick into a doughnut hole and use it to dip doughnut into glaze.Lift out of glaze allowing excess glaze to fall back into the bowl. Set doughnut down on a cooling rack leaving toothpick in place. Repeat for all doughnut holes.
Let glaze dry completely.
To decorate, use the toothpick to lift up a doughnut. Use your finger to smooth out glaze on bottom.
Using a separate toothpick, create grooves from top to bottom. Repeat this process going around the whole doughnut making it look like a pumpkin.
Remove all toothpicks from doughnut holes.
Pinch off small pieces of green candy clay and shape into pumpkin stems.
Reheat remaining orange glaze on high power for 10 seconds. Stir until smooth.
Dab a bit of orange glaze over toothpick hole attach a green candy clay stem.
Repeat decorating all 58 donuts.

Sunday, January 22, 2017

Vanilla Cupcakes, easy recipe

My baking season never ends. We actually love to bake and have different sweets around the house. I am still looking for dinner recipes but I have lots of dessert recipes. Today, I am sharing with you one that we make often. Vanilla Cupcakes. Sometimes when we make them, we dye the batter and/or the icing.

I found this recipe in a magazine long ago, and just copied it to my notebook. I have no idea which magazine unfortunately so I can not give credit this time to who it belongs to.

Vanilla CupCakes:
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (one stick) butter, softened
1 cup of sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup of milk

1. Heat oven to 350.
2. In Meduim bowl, combine: flour, baking powder & Salt
3. In large bowl, with electric mixer beat butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla, beating to combine. Reduce mixer speed and alternate adding dry ingredients and milk until combined
4. Bake 23-25 minutes, or toothpick inserted comes out clean

Cool and then decorate.
This time I just used regular store bought icing. We dyed it pink this time.
Displaying IMAG4627.jpg

You can make your own icing, if you choose.
*This is a great recipe to do with the kids, there is lots here they can help with. I only use this recipe as cupcakes, have Not made an actual cake with this.

Saturday, January 14, 2017

Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Zucchini

Our second new dish we tired is Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Zucchini. Found this one on Pinterest as well. Originally from The Recipe Critic.

Crispy Parmesan Garlic Chicken with Zucchini is a fantastic one pan meal that the family will love! The chicken is so tender and breaded with an amazing parmesan garlic crust and the zucchini is sautéed in a delicious buttery parmesan garlic!

Author: Alyssa

Serves: 4

Ingredients

2 Chicken Breasts, sliced in half, or 4 thin chicken breasts
8 Tablespoons butter, divided
½ cup Italian Bread Crumbs
½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon grated parmesan, divided
¼ cup flour
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced

Instructions

In a large skillet over medium heat melt 2 Tablespoons butter. To make the chicken: Melt remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish combine bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, and flour. Dip the chicken in the butter and then coat in the bread crumb mixture and place in skillet.
Cook on each side for about 3-4 minutes until the outside is crispy and the chicken is cooked throughout. Set aside on plate.
Add 2 Tablespoons of butter back to the skillet and saute the minced garlic for a minute. Add the zucchini to the skillet and saute until tender. Salt and pepper to taste and add some 1 Tablespoon Parmesan. Add the chicken back to the skillet and heat for a minute or so. Serve immediately.

It was a hit! A very yummy meal that is pretty easy to fix. Of course, it took me a little bit longer to get mine done. I'm still a little slow on chopping.😃

and of course ours does not look exactly like the picture.

Tuesday, January 10, 2017

Loaded Chicken and Potatoes

My husband had this at a friend's house while he was helping them out with some work. He came home and raved about this, and said I needed to get the recipe and try it out! Well, I didn't right away. But I finally got the name of the dish from our friend, and found it on her Pinterest board.

Then, hubby asked again for me to make it, and I put it off some more. Why? I wasn't sure I was going to like it. But I caved........

I finally made it the weekend before New Year's eve, because my father-in-law was supposed to be here for dinner that night (up to visit from Florida). And, I've already made it a second time!!!!

This is how mine turned out:

The recipe is from Singing Through the Rain

and her's looks a lot different than mine, for a few reasons: a) I don't have as much cheese covering the top, b) I used a lot more chicken than it called for, c) my bacon pieces are extremely smaller than hers!

Loaded Chicken and Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cubed (1″)

6-8 medium skin-on red potatoes, cut in 1/2″ cubes

1/3 c olive oil

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

1 Tbsp paprika

2 Tbsp garlic powder

2 Tbsp hot sauce (more if you like it HOT)

Topping:

2 c fiesta (or Mexican) blend cheese

1 c crumbled bacon

1 c diced green onion

How to Make:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, mix together the olive oil, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and hot sauce. Add the cubed potatoes and chicken and stir to coat. Carefully scoop the potatoes and chicken into the prepared baking dish.

3. Bake the potatoes and chicken for 55-60 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes, until cooked through, crispy, and browned on the outside. While the potatoes are cooking, fry your bacon (about half a pound).

4. Once the potatoes and chicken are fully cooked, remove from the oven. Top the cooked potatoes with the cheese, bacon, and green onion. Return the casserole to the oven and bake for five minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve With: Extra hot sauce, Ranch Dressing, or sour cream!

Serves: 6 people.

http://www.singingthroughtherain.net/2013/06/loaded-chicken-and-potatoes.html#_a5y_p=2916816

if you visit the recipe link, you will find she answers a few questions about the dish on the bottom of the page. -directions for cooking this in the Crockpot!!! (I'm trying that next time)

*I added more chicken

*We skipped the hot sauce

*we cooked the potatoes for about 15 mins or so before adding the chicken.

*the second time I made this, I used about 2 packs of bacon. And my bacon topping was small crumbs not big chunks like her picture.

*second time I made this, we also skipped the green onion.

Actually, this is a full family review on this recipe!

And it was a hit!! This recipe is added to the favorites cookbook and will be made probably once a month.

The first time I made the dish, it was a lot of work, but not the second time. I'm sure we will make some more adjustments to it as we continue to make this dish.

This dish is definitely 5 Stars!! 2 thumbs up or whatever.

Its a LOVE.

~Do you have a recipe that you think we should try? Comment with the link to the recipe or email me at ajenkins979@gmail.com with "new recipe" in the subject.
~Did you try this meal? Would you try this meal? I'd love to hear your thoughts

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Start of the New Year with New Foods

I want to start off our New Year with some new dinner ideas. I don't cook often. Honestly, with some picky eaters and weird schedules, I usually just fix a quick meal for Callie from frozen foods. Plus on Fridays, we order out as a treat. I do know how to cook, I just don't.

This is where all of you come in to help. Send me your favorite recipes. You can link it in the comments or email me at ajenkins979@gmail.com with new recipe in the subject line

We will try almost anything, at least once.

Friday, October 14, 2016

Homemade Frappe love

I love Caramel Frappes, but I can't afford to run out and get one all the time. McDonald's is not really on my morning route anyway, and there is no Starbucks around here. Dunkin' Donuts has a nice coolatta, but they too are way out the way. So like most people, I was on Pinterest and I found a homemade Frappe recipe that I fell in love with.

Now I can have my coffee anytime I want! Actually, I have gotten used to my own that I recently had a Frappe from McDonald's and it just wasn't as good.

Now, I save myself loads of money, and I make it just how I like!!!!! But I won't say no if someone does offer to buy me one for a treat.

1/2 cup instant coffee, brewed at 1 and 1/2 or double strength, frozen (see note 1)
3 T caramel syrup (see note 2)
2 T granulated sugar (feel free to substitute your preferred low-cal sugar substitute…just be sure to check conversions – not all of them substitute tsp. for tsp.)
1/2 C whole milk (feel free to substitute 2% or skim. Use whatever you have on hand.)
1/2 C heavy cream (feel free to substitute milk here, too, if desired. (see note 3)
1 C-1 1/2 C ice
Reddi-Whip or similar generic nitrogen- or isobutane-propelled sweetened whipped cream, if desired, for garnish (I usually try to skip this part if I’m being good.)
caramel ice cream topping (see note 4), if desired, for garnish (again, my no-guilt version skips this element)

Place frozen coffee, caramel syrup, sugar, milk, cream, and ice into a blender (see note 5) and blend until smooth. Top with Reddi-Whip and drizzle with caramel topping. Enjoy!

NOTES
1. You can certainly use non-instant coffee if you have a coffee maker, and of course if you’re a caffeine-drinker, you’ll probably want to opt for the full-effect caffeinated variety. Go for it! I usually brew up a big batch (like, my 8 C measuring bowl full) at 1 1/2 strength, let it cool to room temperature, then portion it into these mini round Glad containers and stick them in the freezer. Then, you’re good to go whenever you’re craving a frappe!
2. I’ve seen all kinds of different flavors of this syrup, including hazelnut, Irish creme, cinnamon vanilla, pumpkin spice... I personally have no intentions of messing with the perfection that is the caramel frappe, but feel free to experiment with other flavors you like! I found mine at my local Winco for less than $6, but I’ve also seen it at higher-end kitchen supply stores for more like $10 or $11.
3. When you start subbing out the cream, the end result is less creamy. Duh. But, let’s face it, if I’m making these a few times a week, less creamy in the cup means less jiggly on the butt. Or so I’m told. Anyways, you can use all milk and no cream to make them, with a less creamy but still delicious result.
4. Any variety of caramel ice cream topping will work, but I personally like Mrs. Richardson’s butterscotch caramel best because it’s really nice & thick and it tastes & acts just like the stuff that McDonald’s drizzles on theirs. If you love them like I do, you know what I’m talking about…When you get to the bottom of the frappe, your straw starts sucking up these nice, thick, mouthfuls of caramel. It’s kind of the best part of the whole experience.
5. You really do need an ice blender or smoothie maker to get the texture right for these. I have a cruddy old blender from college that I tried, and it left big chunks of ice in there, more like iced coffee than a frappe. Use a machine designed for making smoothies or efficient in dealing with ice. This is one place where I love my Magic Bullet. In my kitchen, my Vitamix will win almost any blender challenge over my Magic Bullet. If I’m serving guests and making three or four at a time, I’ll use the Vitamix, but if I’m making a single serving I prefer my Magic Bullet because I can blend one at a time, right in the cup I’ll be drinking out of, and save myself a dish.

**** Now, my notes cause i have changed it just a tad. I brew up my coffee at regular strength, let it cool then measure out the 1/2 cups to freeze.

I do not use the heavy cream, I use just one full cup of Milk.

And I do without the whipped topping, as I do if I order it at any place (McD's, Starbucks, etc)

I rarely put ice in my mix, cause well my coffee is Frozen!!!

Like it says above, you can add any flavor you want. Which is awesome

Tuesday, August 25, 2015