Banana Bread or Muffins

There is something special about coming across a recipe that was written out by a loved one.  I love seeing my Granny's writing, years after she passed away.  Making a dish from one of her recipes brings back so many great memories.  Sadly, with todays technology, the tradition of passing down hand written recipes is getting lost.  I encourage you all to take the time to hand write some of your favourite recipes and pass them on to a loved one.

Today I am going to share a recipe with you that was handed down to me by my Mom.  Her banana bread is always a hit with our family, and even when she does a double batch, they do not last for long!  I was so happy when I received this recipe, knowing that I would have a special piece of home no matter how far away I was.  I am happy to be able to share it with all of you today, and my husband was thrilled to get to eat them!

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Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

We eat a lot of meat in our family, and I will be the first to admit that sometimes I cook the same meals over and over.  This year I am making an effort to try new recipes, and so far my husband has enjoyed my choices.
Normally when I make pork chops, I fry them up and then throw them in a casserole dish with some mushroom soup.  While we always enjoy this, I was so excited when I found this recipe for Sweet and Sour Pork Chops.  It is super easy too!

Sweet and Sour Pork Chops

Source: Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

8 boneless pork loin chops, cut 1/4 inch thick

Montreal Steak Spice, for seasoning

3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:

1. Fry the pork chops until thoroughly cooked.  Season with Montreal Steak Spice or another seasoning of your choice.

2. In a bowl, combine the remaining three ingredients and stir together.

3. Pour over the pork chops and simmer on low for 5-8 minutes.

We served it on rice with esparagus.
 Mmmm!

 I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

I would love to know, what is your favourite Pork Chop Recipe?

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Turtle Ice Cream Pie

What tastes better on a hot summer's day then ice cream?  I love the chocolate candy Turtles, so when I recently came across a recipe for Turtle Ice Cream Pie, I knew that I had to try it. 
I will start by saying that this dessert was a lot of work and very time consuming, so do not plan on making it last minute.  Give yourself at least two days, as it needs a lot of time to freeze in between steps.  Trust me that the end result will be worth it and your taste buds will be throwing a party in your mouth.  It is amazing!

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Pecan Pie Bars

My husband loves pecan tarts, so when I came across this recipe for Pecan Pie Bars, I knew that I had to try them out.  They were easy to make and tasted great.

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Black Bottom Cupcakes

I had some bananas froze that I have been waiting to use for a while, so when I came across this recipe on Bakerella's website recently, I tried it that very day!  They are now long gone, but with more bananas in the freezer, I have a feeling I might get to enjoy them again soon.

Black Bottom Cupcakes
Source: Bakerella

Cream Cheese Mixture
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 small banana, pureed
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

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Easy Fruit Smoothie

I have always loved making homemade smoothies, but I hate cleaning up the blender afterwards.  I finally purchased a single serving blender and LOVE it!  These things are awesome, and there are lots of options that are very reasonably priced.  I have the G&E and it was under $20 and works great.

Here is a really quick and easy fruit smoothie that I make a lot. 

Easy Fruit Smoothie

Ingredients:
1 cup frozen fruit
1/4 cup vanilla yogurt
3/4 milk

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Sushi

The word Sushi used to make me squirm.  The thought of eating raw fish did not excite my taste buds one bit.  All of this changed when my husband moved to Tampa Bay for a few months, and got us both hooked.  While we stick mostly to the cooked rolls, we have ventured out and tried a few raw rolls as well. Who would have guessed a few years ago that when we go out to a restaurant, that it is usually for sushi!  We have enjoyed some great sushi during our travels and at our many hockey homes. 

Last year for Valentine's day, we decided to stay at home and try to make a sushi roll ourselves.  It was a lot of fun, and tasted decent.  This season, we have started to make sushi a lot, and I must admit, I think we do pretty good!  The rolls are pretty easy, but very tastey! 

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Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

Every time we get together with friends, I love to bake a special treat to take along.  I was flattered when Richard came home for practice one day and said some of the guys had asked him if I would make a dessert for their Coach's Supper.  Of course I said yes, and I new exactly which recipe I wanted to try, as my mouth had been watering since I saw them on Kevin & Amanda.

Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies
Source: Kevin & Amanda

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Loaded Baked Potato Dip

I made this appetizer a while back when a bunch of us hockey wives got together.  It tastes so much like a loaded baked potato it is crazy.  Try it out, you won't be disappointed!

Loaded Baked Potato Dip

Source: Brown Eyed Baker, adapted from MyRecipes.com

Yield: About 4 cups
Prep Time: 10 minutes

16 ounces sour cream
16 slices (12-ounce package) bacon, cooked and crumbled
8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)
1/3 cup thinly sliced scallions or chives

Fry the bacon, cool and crumble.

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S'Mores Cupcakes

Here is the third and final cupcake recipe from our Cupcake Party. 

If you have ever went camping with me, you know that I love to roast marshmallows over the fire.  Many of my friends joke that I would eat a whole bag by myself.  While they are exaggerating a little bit, I do love them, and every once and a while I enjoy making myself a Smore too.  When I saw this recipe with an actual marshmallow on top, I knew I had to try it.  Served warm, it is delicious and the marshmallow is so perfectly gooey!

S’mores Cupcakes
Source: adapted from Kevin & Amanda

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Sugar Cookie Cupcakes with Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

When I was on my conquest to find some delicious cupcakes for my cupcake party, I came across the Vanilla Buttercream used by Georgetown Cupcakes from the show DC Cupcakes.  I new I wanted to try it, so I began searching for a white cupcake to pair it with.  When  I stumbled across a recipe for Sugar Cookie Cupcakes, I was very intrigued as I love sugar cookies.  After looking at the recipe, I decided that this was the cupcake that I was looking for to pair with this buttercream, and I was very pleased with the final product.  They tasted great together and I will definatley be using these recipes again in the near future! 

Sugar Cookie Cupcakes

Source: adapted from Baked Perfection

1 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups plain Greek yogurt

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake

If you checked out my last post, you know that I recently held a cupcake party.  This week I will be sharing three amazing recipes that I tried for the first time for this party.  My inspiration for the party was a post on Kevin & Amanda so it only seemed right to try a few of her cupcakes too.  I only recently found this amazing blog, so I hadn't tried any of her cupcake recipes yet.  I chose the S'More cupcake from her party, and the Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcake that is one of her most popular posts...and now I know why!  The third cupcake I found on Baked Perfection while searching for something I thought would go good with a Vanilla Buttercream from DC Cupcakes.

These might just be my new favourite cupcake. When I took my first bite, I literally stopped and said "Wow." I was all by myself and all I wanted to do was tell someone how amazing they were. My husband has since had the same reaction. He usually tries to stay away from my baking in order to be 'healthy,' but he will be eating these until they are gone, and his reaction is priceless every time. Trust me that they are just THAT GOOD! Mmmmm!

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Beef Dip Sandwiches

When I came across this recipe for Beef Dip Sandwiches, I new I had to try it.  One of my goals this year is to find more great recipes for my crock pot, and who doesn't love a good sandwich?  Let me tell you, the end result is Ah-mazing!  Our whole apartment smelled delicious as the beef cooked in the crock pot, and I almost forgot to take pictures to post as I just wanted to eat this delicious sandwich!  I will definately be making this again-soon!  Sooo good!

Beef Dip Sandwiches

Source: Orginally from AllRecipes, via Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:
2 pounds beef chuck roast
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary
1/2 tablespoon chopped bay leaves
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 cups water

For Sandwiches:
4 hoagie rolls or french bread, cut in half horizontally
4 slices provolone cheese (or cheese of your choice...we used Pepper Jack Cheese for a touch of spice!)
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. dried thyme

Directions:
Place meat in crock pot. Add garlic, rosemary & bay leaves. Pour in soy sauce & water. Cover & cook on low for 6-10 hours until the meat is tender and is easily pulled apart with a fork.

To assemble sandwiches:
In a small bowl, add mayo, parsley & thyme and stir to combine, set aside.

Take bottom piece of your bread roll & add the meat. Top with cheese. On top half of the roll spread a thin layer of the herb mayonnaise and place on top of sandwich. Place some of the au jus left in the crockpot into a small bowl & serve with sandwiches for dipping.

Enjoy!!

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Oreo Cookie Bark

I found this recipe and new I had to try it since we love Oreo's in our house. It is pretty tasty, but I must admit, the Oreo Truffles are still my favourite Oreo treat.  Let me know what you think!

Oreo Cookie Bark
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake

Ingredients:
4 squares Baker’s semi-sweet baking chocolate
3 squares Baker’s premium white baking chocolate
1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter
5 oreo cookies

The original recipe was doubled, but I just wanted enough for us to enjoy at home.  This was more than enough for the two of us.  I think next time I might try it with milk chocolate.

Directions:

Place semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate microwaveable bowls. Microwave until completely melted, following the package directions. Add peanut butter to white chocolate. Stir until well blended. Crumble half the oreos into each of the bowls of chocolate. Mix well.

Drope spoonfulls of mixture onto a wax paper covered baking sheet, alternating the colors of chocolate. Cut through mixture with knife for marbling effect.

Refrigerate at leaet 1 hour or until firm.

Break into pieces.

Enjoy!  (My recipe made about double this amount.)

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French Breakfast Puffs

One of the first food blogs that I started to follow was the Pioneer Woman, mostly because she also had a section about photography.  Last year, while living in Oklahoma, a dear friend shared the Pioneer Woman's cookbook.  I had so much fun flipping through the recipes and stubbled across many that I wanted to try...including this one for French Breakfast Puffs.  I just finally got around to trying it this past week and they are absolutely delightful!  I was not disappointed and know that I will be making them again.

Recipe: Adapted from Pioneer Woman

Ingredients


For Muffins:3 cups Flour
3 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon (Original recipe called for Ground Nutmeg but I didn't have any)
1 cup Sugar
2/3 cups Shortening (Crisco)
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Milk

For Coating:
1 cup Sugar
3 teaspoons Cinnamon
2 sticks Butter

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 12 muffin cups.

In a large bowl stir together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.

In a different bowl, cream together 1 cup sugar and shortening. Add the eggs and mix again. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to creamed mixture, beating well after each addition.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden.

In a bowl, melt 1-1/2 sticks butter. Feel free to melt 2 sticks right away, but I didn't use all of mine so next time I will start by melting 1-1/2 sticks.  In a separate bowl combine remaining sugar and cinnamon.

Dip baked muffins in butter, coating thoroughly.

Coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture...don't be cheap!!  If you run out, feel free to add more sugar and cinnamon together.  The original recipe called for an extra cup of sugar but my recipe made 16 muffins and this is all I used. 

They are delicious, and best served warm.  About 25 seconds in the microwave reheats them perfectly from in the fridge, or a minute if you decide to freeze some.

ENJOY and let me know what you think!  I am so excited that I can cross off another recipe from my Top 100 list!



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Cookie Dough Truffles

I fell in love with truffles last year when I made the most delicious Oreo Truffles, so when I came across this recipe for Cookie Dough Truffles, I new I had to try them.  I mean, who doesn't love to steal a little bite of cookie dough when they're baking?

I took these to a surpirse birthday party the other night and they were a big hit.  My biggest mistake was that I didn't think to cut one in half for a picture until they were all gone, but check out the source blogs below for more great pictures, including instructions for making them into Cake Pops from Baked Perfection.

Cookie Dough Truffles

Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake, adapted from Baked Perfection
Makes about 20-24

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
dash of cinnamon
1 stick butter, softened (it's okay if it is melting a little)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (I only had regular size chocolate chips so I chopped them up with a knife into 3 or 4 smaller pieces...a little time consuming but worked great)
1/2 package chocolate candy melts  (I used 3 blocks of a package of Almond Bark, chopped into smaller pieces)

Directions:
In a medium bowl combine the flour, salt, and dash of cinnamon.
In a second larger bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Slowly beat in the flour mixture until smooth.
Stir in the chocolate chips.
Roll the mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Chill for several hours or freeze for 15-20 minutes until firm.
Melt candy melts in the microwave, heating them in 30 sec intervals, and stirring in between. I melted the chocolate in 3 groups so that the chocolate stayed nice and smooth.
Gently dip the cookie dough ball into the candy coating by placing it on a fork and rolling in the chocolate until coated. Once covered remove and softly tap the fork on the side of the bowl until the excess chocolate falls off. Place on parchment or wax paper until set.

I added a some red swirls over the chocolate to make them a little prettier.

Enjoy!

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Peanut Butter Snicker Mini Cheesecake

Yeah!  I am so excited to begin trying some recipes off of my Top 100 list.  This was one of the first recipes I came across when building my list and I just could not wait to try it.  Trust me that they did not disappoint!  My mouth is watering just thinking about them...good thing I still have a few left.

I have been wanting to try a cheesecake for a while now, as I have not made one since Home Economics class in high school.  When I came across this recipe I knew that it was the perfect way to reintroduce myself to the world of cheesecakes, and I look forward to making more in the near future. 

Peanut Butter Snickers Mini Cheesecakes
Source: Macaroni and Cheesecake, adapted from Picky Palate
Makes 12 mini cheesecakes

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
1 cup graham crackers crumbs
2 tbsp. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
For the Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened (I used 1/3 less fat)
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp. heavy cream (I used half & half)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla
6 Fun Size Snickers Candy Bars, chopped

For Topping:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tbsp. heavy cream (I used half & half)
3 Fun Size Snickers, chopped

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray, set aside.

Crust:
Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and salt.  Pour in melted butter and stir until all crumbs look slightly moist. Press crumb mixture into the bottom of the muffin tin, distributing evenly. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees.

Filling:
Beat together the cream cheese and peanut butter on medium speed until smooth. Scrape down the sides to ensure it is all incorporated. Add in the egg, cream, sugar and salt until well combined. Stir in chopped snickers. Evenly spoon the cheesecake batter over the crust.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes, until cheesecakes are set in the middle. Let cool on the counter for 2 hours, then run a butter knife around the outside edge of each cheesecake and pop it out.

Topping:
Melt chocolate chips in a microwave safe container in 30 second intervals, until smooth. Stir in cream and stir until smooth & glossy. Spoon the ganache over the cheesecakes and top with additional chopped snickers. Place cheesecakes in refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes until ganache has set. Serve & enjoy! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Here they are:

Trust me, they are super easy and so DELISH!  It would be easy to switch up the chocolate bar too if you have others around the house.

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Coconut Cream Cupcakes

I have finally settled into our new home in Norfolk, VA and am looking forward to a season of baking delicious treats!  My goal this year is to develop a recipe of ten cupcakes that I will offer to people for special events, whether it be a birthday party, wedding or business event.  Before I moved, I had the honour of making 200 cupcakes for my cousin Morgan's wedding.  It was a great experience and I learned a lot.  Thank goodness my Mom and Auntie were willing to help bake, as I got called into sub the two days I had booked for making and decorating the cupcakes!  The three flavours the bride and groom chose were Vanilla (they had a splash of lemon), Chocolate (with a touch of Zucchini) and Carrot cake (with a bit of apple too)!  Each of them were covered with buttercream icing.  I was happy with the taste and how moist the cupcakes were.  I learned, however, that I needed to invest in a few bigger decorating tips to help make the cupcakes look more beautiful.  Shortly after arriving in Norfolk, I made my way down to Michaels to pick up a few tips and couldn't wait to use them...I am very happy with the results and look forward to using them for many events in the future!

On to the Coconut Cream Cupcakes!  The cupcakes are made with coconut milk, have a coconut cream filling with shredded coconut, and then are frosted with whipped cream and topped with toasted coconut!
They are delicious, but I wanted to share a few points with you that I learned along the way.  I opted to toast my own coconut in the oven, and learned that when you open the oven door, make sure you keep your eyes far away, until the door has been open for a bit.  Not only did I get a blast of heat in my face, but my eyes burned like I have never felt before!  This is a lesson I will not soon forget!  Secondly, if you keep the cupcakes in the fridge, bring them to room temperature before serving.  They will be easier to eat and taste so much better!

Mmmm!  I can't wait to share these with everyone!

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Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

Peanut Butter Recipe #2: Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

I was first introduced to Peanut Butter Cup Cookies by my sister-in-law a few years back.  Since then I have found the following recipe online at allrecipes.com and I use it all the time.  I make these cookies at Christmas to share with family and friends and they are always a hit.

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
40 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cups, unwrapped

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.

2.Cream together the butter, sugar, peanut butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and milk.

3. Add the flour mixture; mix well.

4.Shape into 40 balls and place each into an ungreased mini muffin pan.
 

 

5.Bake at 375 degrees for about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and immediately press a mini peanut butter cup into each ball. Cool and carefully remove from pan.

A few changes I have made:

I usually make them in a regular size muffin pan. Of course, you will only get 20-30 cookies instead of 40. 

I used half a teaspoon vanilla extract and half a teaspoon almond extract last time and they turned out great.

ENJOY!



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Peanut Butter Goodness!

Peanut Butter.  Yum!  What more do I need to say?  I have several delicious recipes that I am going to share over the coming week that will make you love peanut butter too.  Please feel free to leave a comment with more delicious peanut butter recipes! mmm!

There is a super cute cupcake and candy store here in OKC called Pinkitzel.  I admit that I may have eaten a few delicious cupcakes from this lovely store, but I always think that I can make them too- and for alot cheaper!  Just the other day, one of my good friends got a craving for a Peanut Butter Cupcake after trying one from this store.  I convinced her to let me make her some (yes, it was REALLY hard to convince her of that- haha!) and set off to find a recipe.

I ended up making German Chocolate cupcakes (yes, from a box) with Peanut Butter Buttercream Icing.  Since I did Wilton cake decorating classes, I like to use their recipes since I know they will be good for decorating.  It is delicious and went great with the chocolate cupcakes. 

The following recipe yields about 3 cups of icing.  I halfed the recipe and had more than enough icing for 12 cupcakes and a small cake.  ENJOY!!

Wilton Peanut Butter Buttercream Icing

Ingredients:

•1/3 cup solid vegetable shortening
•1/3 cup butter
•3/4 cup peanut butter
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•4 cups (approx. 1 lb.) confectioners' sugar, sifted
•4-6 tablespoons milk

Cream shortening and butter with electric mixer. Add peanut butter and vanilla.  Add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well. Next, add milk, one tablespoon at a time, and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

 Refrigerated in an airtight container, this icing can be stored 2 weeks. Re-whip before using.


For a little added touch of peanut butter goodness, I cut a Reese Peanut Butter Cup into several pieces and stuck it into the icing on top.

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