The Puffin

I came across this recipe from Lady with the Red Rocker for a puffin.  What’s a puffin? 

It’s a pancake…no it’s a muffin…it’s a PUFFIN! 

I. am. a. dork.

I thought it was worth a try since Luke likes muffins and he likes pancakes and I’m always looking for new muffin recipes to freeze. 

It’s super simple:

2 cups Bisquick
2/3 cup milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup syrup
Toppings – chocolate chips, bacon, sausage, blueberries, cranberries, bananas, nuts, etc.

Preheat oven to 350°.

Mix Bisquick, milk, eggs, and syrup together and pour into muffin pans with cupcake liners. Fill each cup half way, and top with your favorite topping. Bake for 14-15 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted, comes out clean. Makes 17-18, normal sized, puffins.

We did some blueberry, some banana, and some without anything since I have picky kids

Here’s what Sam thought:   

There’s no pictures of Luke eating these because he basically took one bite of a banana one and left.  He still won’t touch them.  Sam actually would only eat it that first time.  I haven’t been able to get him to eat another one.  Man, I hate having picky kids.

If you don’t have picky kids…then your kids will probably love these.  Even if you do, it’s worth a try!

Veggie Muffins

I’m always looking for a good way to sneak vegetables that Luke wouldn’t normally eat into his diet.

This one worked like a charm!

VEGGIE MUFFINS        This recipe for veggie muffins is from MADE
Yields appx 20-24 muffins

2 Cups All-purpose Flour  (I used whole wheat instead)
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 of a stick) softened butter
2 eggs

1/4 cup Prune or Apple juice
1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli (frozen or fresh)

1 to 1 1/2 cups smashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
1/2 cup grated carrots
1/4 cup yogurt (vanilla, plain, strawberry, whatever flavor)  (I used Strawberry)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, and salt) in a small bowl. Set aside.

Mix the sugar, butter, and eggs in a separate bowl or mixer. Beat for a couple minutes till everything is combined.

Puree broccoli with the prune juice in a food processor.  Then add the puree, carrots, bananas, yogurt, and vanilla into the butter mixture and beat for a minute. Finally, add the dry ingredients and mix just until combined and wet.

Scoop the mixture into a prepared muffin pan and bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 25-30 minutes, until the tops are slightly brown and a toothpick comes out clean.

Luke loves these! And I otherwise can’t get him to eat broccoli, or prune juice (which is hard to swallow myself), or even yogurt these days. Though I finally have him eating carrots and bananas again!

I actually pureed a ton of broccoli, grated lots of carrots and mashed up a lot of bananas and froze it all in the freezer, so the next time I want to make these it will be a lot less work to get those veggies in there!  Now I want to figure out a way to cut down that entire cup of sugar—any ideas?

Enjoy!

A Favorite Recipe: My Grandma’s Chocolate Chip Cookies

My new kitchen aid needed some love, and Luke’s cookie jar (for potty rewards) was getting pretty low, so I made some cookies today.

This recipe page has gotten a lot of love over the years! I’ve pretty much got it memorized, but I still get it out just to double check myself since I’m often distracted by a 3 year old…

Enjoy!

Oh.My.Dessert!

Figures that just a few days after I've totally committed to stop eating junk and focus on eating really healthy...that Studio 5 features this completely ridiculously good looking dessert on their show.

PB + CHOCOLATE LOVERS BEWARE!!!

I decided to post it here. In case, you know, you decide to make it for me since I can't indulge.

There's a video/picture of what it looks like here on the Studio 5 website.

Peanut Butter Brownie Pie

Ingredients:

• 2 Cups Crushed Nutter Butter Cookies
• ½ Cup Butter - Melted
• 1 ½ Cups Brownies - broken apart/crumbled
• 1 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1 - 8oz Cool Whip
• 1 - 8 oz Cream Cheese (room temperature)
• 2 tsp Vanilla
• Chocolate Shavings

Method:

In a mixing bowl combine crushed Nutter Butter cookies and melted butter. Pour into a pie dish and press into place to form a crust.

Create a brownie lawyer on top of the Nutter Butter crust.

In a large mixing bowl combine peanut butter, sugar, cool whip, cream cheese and vanilla. Beat together to a smooth consistence. Pour into pie pan.

Sprinkle chocolate shavings over pie.

Place in the freezer for at least 3 hours before serving.

Remove pie from freezer a few minutes before slicing. ENJOY!

...like I said, ridiculous.

Make Your Own Girl Scout Cookies

Um, yes please!!!
Check it out here

Slim Mints Recipe & Directions

Samoas Recipe & Directions

Tagalongs (my personal fav) Recipe & Directions

French Toast.

I. LOVE. FRENCH. TOAST.

I'll eat it with whatever bread, any time of the day.

Scott's mom makes french toast with loaves of French bread, and then sprinkles powdered sugar on it. Sometimes, I'll make breakfast on Saturday or Sunday mornings for Luke and Scott--waffles, pancakes or French toast. This week I bought French bread and was going to do it "special" like his mom makes it on Sunday morning. However, I told Scott about the French bread and we ended up having it for dinner on Saturday night :) mmmmm mmmmm good.

Check it Out

I've started posting here again.



Sorry for the hiatus.
This month is all about snacks.

Apple Pies of Love

I made these on Saturday.

Cute and delicious.

Featured

To

Family, Friends, Friends of Friends & Random Strangers who read my blog:

I just wanted to let y'all know I'm featuring a ton of yummy Valentine's Day goodies each day on my other blog A Piece of Kake. So if yummy goodness and cutesy kitchen gear is your thing you should check it out each day!

Here's a tasting of the things you may see in the next 2 weeks:

Makin' Cookies

Yum.Yum.Eat'm.Up.

mmmmm...my house smells delicious. be jealous.

Here is my recipe (passed down to me, of course)
For Utah, I only use about 4 1/2 cups of flour or else they come out too dry.

BONUS--my oatmeal scotchies recipe
(click to Enlarge)

BaNaNa SpLit CaKe

This will be one of my next "experimental" desserts--as Scott refers to them.

Banana Split Cake

Prep Time:
15 min

Total Time:
5 hr 15 min

Makes:
24 servings, one piece each

1-1/2 cups HONEY MAID Graham Cracker Crumbs

1 cup sugar, divided

1/3 cup butter, melted

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened

1 can (20 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

6 medium bananas, divided

2 cups cold milk

2 pkg. (4-serving size each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

1 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans

MIX crumbs, 1/4 cup of the sugar and the butter; press firmly onto bottom of 13x9-inch pan. Freeze 10 min.

BEAT cream cheese and remaining 3/4 cup sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended. Spread carefully over crust; top with pineapple. Slice 4 of the bananas; arrange over pineapple.

POUR milk into medium bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the whipped topping; spread over banana layer in pan. Top with remaining 1 cup whipped topping; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 5 hours. Slice remaining 2 bananas just before serving; arrange over dessert. Store any leftover dessert in refrigerator.

Ooey Gooey Yumminess

This is a super easy, super yummy recipe that I made on Sunday--TRY IT.

Warm Toasted Marshmallow S'more Bars

1 pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
3 cups milk chocolate chips (18 oz)
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir together cookie mix and crumbs. Stir in melted butter until soft dough forms. Press into ungreased 13x9-inch pan. (i put foil in my pan and then sprayed it because it's easier to clean the pan afterwards--trust me, this is a very messy dessert!)

Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until set. Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over crust. Let stand 3 to 5 minutes or until chocolate begins to melt. Spread chocolate evenly over crust. (I had half of a milk chocolate Symphony Bar that I cut up and used with 1 bag of chocolate chips which made the chocolate extra yummy)

Set oven control to broil. Sprinkle marshmallows over melted chocolate. Broil with top 4 to 5 inches from heat 20 to 30 seconds or until marshmallows are toasted. (Watch closely; marshmallows will brown quickly.) Cool 10 minutes. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows. Serve warm. Store any remaining bars tightly covered.

Katie's KLipBoard

Pink Lemonade Pie

This is really good--I made this last summer and plan to make it again soon! Be warned, though, the lemonade does give it a kick!

Prep Time: 30 min

Start to Finish: 4 hr 30 min

Makes: 8 servings

Graham Cracker Crust (Save time & just buy a pre-made crust at the store!)
1 1/2	cups finely crushed graham crackers (20 squares)
1/3	cup butter or margarine, melted
3	tablespoons sugar
Filling
1	quart (4 cups) vanilla ice cream, softened
1/2	can (12-oz size) frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed
1	container (4 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
	Red food color, if desired
	Lemon or lime peel, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, mix all crust ingredients until well blended. Press in bottom and up side of 9-inch glass pie plate. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown; cool.

In large bowl, mix ice cream, lemonade concentrate, whipped topping and a few drops food color. Spoon and spread ice-cream mixture into cooled crust.

Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Let stand at room temperature a few minutes before cutting. Garnish with lemon peel.

Katie's KLipBoard

I reaLLy reaLLy want to make this!!!

Creamy Orange Ice Cream Pie

Frosty layers of sherbet, ice cream and sugar cookie crumbs make a refreshing dessert.

Prep Time:30 min

Start to Finish:8 hr

Makes:8 servings

1	pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
2	pints (4 cups) orange sherbet
1	pint (2 cups) vanilla ice cream

1.	Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix and butter until well mixed (mixture will be crumbly).
2.	Reserve 1 1/2 cups crumb mixture; set aside. In ungreased 9-inch glass pie plate, press remaining mixture over bottom and up side of plate; prick with fork. Bake 16 to 18 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3.	Meanwhile, on ungreased cookie sheet, sprinkle remaining crumb mixture. Bake 10 to 11 minutes or until edges of crumb mixture begin to brown. Cool on cookie sheet, about 30 minutes.
4.	While crust and crumb mixture are cooling, place sherbet and ice cream in refrigerator to soften. Scoop half of softened sherbet over crust; spread to cover crust. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crumbs. Scoop all of softened ice cream over sherbet and crumbs; spread to cover. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup crumbs. Scoop remaining half of sherbet over ice cream and crumbs. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup crumbs. Freeze until firm, 4 to 6 hours or overnight. Let stand 15 minutes to soften before cutting.

Variation: Use your favorite sherbet and ice cream flavors. Try raspberry or lime sherbet with vanilla ice cream. Or create a chocolate lover's treat using all chocolate ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Katie's KLipBoard

[This is a new edition to my blog I'm going to try. I'm always finding good ideas in magizines and online, I'm just going to blog them to keep track of them. Who knows, maybe I'll inspire someone?!]


SO Yummy---my next cooking adventure has got to be this cake!

Lemon-Orange Cake

white frosting for a dreamyLuscious lemon and oh, so orange marry with fluffy dessert cake.

Prep Time:25 min

Start to Finish:3 hr 5 min

Makes:16 servings

1	box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
1 1/4	cups orange juice
	Vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1	can (15 3/4 oz) lemon pie filling
1	container Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
	Grated orange peel, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Make and cool cake as directed on box for two 8-inch or 9-inch round pans--except use 1 1/4 cups of orange juice in place of the water.
2.	Cut each cake layer horizontally in half to make 2 layers. Fill layers with generous 1/2 cup pie filling. Frost side and top of cake with frosting. Garnish with orange peel. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude cake mix directions for making batter. Bake 8-inch round 29 to 34 minutes. Bake 9-inch round 26 to 31 minutes.

Nutrition Information:1 Serving: Calories 310 (Calories from Fat 110); Total Fat 12g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat2g); Cholesterol 0mg; Sodium 330mg; Total Carbohydrate 46g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 32g); Protein 3g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 6%; Iron4% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 2Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 3