Love my blog.

Who's hates google right now?
This girl.
So...I'm trying bloglovin to see if I like it.
I've heard it's awesome. Try it out and follow me!

<a href="http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/6516699/?claim=57ddpsq96da">Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

Blueberry Coffee Cake

This recipe is originally called Blueberry Boy Bait. As I don't need boy bait...I renamed it for my sake. But it is so yummy. Definitely a very sweet breakfast. I don't know if I would use it as a dessert, but I would eat it every day for breakfast if I could. I made it for a baby shower and it got rave reviews from all of them. They couldn't get enough (literally...we ran out).

Photo Credit to Smitten Kitchen

Blueberry Boy Bait
2 cups plus 

1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon table salt
1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened
¾ cups packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk {or whatever milk you have on hand}
½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (if frozen, do not defrost first as it tends to muddle in the batter)

Topping
½ cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl. With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl. Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk. Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour. Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping:
Scatter blueberries over top of batter. Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter. Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on serving platter (topping side up). Serve warm or at room temperature. (Cake can be stored in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days.)

Recipe Source: Smitten Kitchen via Mrs Harding Cooks

Double Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Patty Surprise

Christmastime! Too many delicious recipes I want to make. So when asked to make cookies...I made two kinds instead of one. Because I'm obsessed with trying new things. It's an addiction. I might need to see a counselor. Plus I'm getting fat. Hmm...better figure this thing out.
This was one of those cookie recipes. So awesome. I absolutely love chocolate and mint together, and this was a perfect cookies. My mom went out the next day and bought more patties so I'd make another batch!

Photo Credit to Pip and Ebby

Double Chocolate Cookies with Peppermint Patty Surprise
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 sticks (6 ounces) unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 egg

24 peppermint patties, unwrapped and chilled

6 ounces white chocolate chips

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together flour through baking soda on low speed. Then beat in the butter and egg.

Turn out the dough onto a large piece of plastic wrap and flatten into a disk; seal. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Working with approximately 1 tablespoon of dough at a time, use your fingers to evenly encase each of the peppermint patties with the dough.
Place on the prapared pans and smooth the dough with your fingers, if needed.
Bake until just firm to the touch, about 15 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool slightly. Transfer the cookies on the parchment to a rack to cool completely.
In a small bowl, microwave white chocolate chips on high in 30-second bursts until it is creamy and completely smooth when stirred.
Using a large spoon, drizzle the white chocolate over the cookies. Let cool completely before serving or storing.

Recipe Source: Pip and Ebby

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

We've all (me...) have read about how much I love peanut butter. Especially when there are ridiculous amounts of chocolate involved. Well...this is one recipe that I will make over and over again. It is too awesome to describe. Just imagine your favorite dessert with chocolate and peanut butter, multiply it's deliciousness by 200...and you have this. Ah-mazing.

Peanut Butter Cup Cake

FILLING:
8oz semi-sweet chocolate, roughly chopped
8oz heavy cream
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup Reese's peanut butter cups, roughly chopped

Heat the cream until it just begins to boil. Pour it over the chocolate in a medium bowl. Whisk until the chocolate melts, then whisk in the peanut butter until it's all incorporated and smooth. Set aside 1/4 of the filling for the first layer of frosting. Cool the other 3/4 completely, then gently stir in the peanut butter cups.

FROSTING:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup butter, at room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups powdered sugar

Cream together the butter and peanut butter. Add the vanilla, then the sugar. I beat mine until it was pretty fluffy.

I used the chocolate cake from my blog that I love!

ASSEMBLY:
Place one 9-inch round on a cake stand or plate. Cover the top in the peanut butter fudge filling. Place the second 9-inch round on top. Using the reserved filling, spread a thin layer on the outside of the cake. Refrigerate until the fudge is set and firm to the touch.

Slather the whole thing in the peanut butter frosting. Decorate with peanut butter cups.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with a Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce

Christmas Eve Party called for a great new appetizer and this is what I found. Everyone loved it! And it was delicious as well. Because it was Asian...and I love Asian food.

Asian Turkey Meatballs with a Lime Sesame Dipping Sauce
4 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4-1/2 tsp honey, to taste
1 scallion, chopped

1 lb ground turkey
1 egg
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tbsp scallion, finely chopped
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup of panko crumbs
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste

Combine the soy sauce, lime juice, water,sesame oil, green onion, and honey together in a dish. Whisk until well combined; set aside.

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Coat a baking dish with cooking spray.

Combine the ground turkey, egg, green onion, cilantro, ginger, garlic, panko, soy sauce, sesame oil, sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste together in a large bowl. Gently mix the ingredients until well combined.

Shape 1/4 cup of mixture into a ball then place into the baking dish. Repeat with the remaining meat mixture.

Place the meatballs into the oven and bake until cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately along with the dipping sauce. Enjoy.

Recipe Source: For the Love of Cooking

Crepes

We needed a recipe for crepes. Because we had Nutella, naturally. It was very delicious (although, I'm not going to lie, I probably couldn't tell if it was a "good" crepe or a "bad" crepe).

Photo Credit to food.com

Crepes

1 cup flour
1 1/2 cups milk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions:

Combine flour, milk, eggs, and oil. Add salt.

Heat a lightly greased 6 inch skillet; remove from heat.

Spoon in 2 Tbsp batter; lift and tilt skillet to spread evenly.

Return to heat; brown on one side only.

To remove, invert pan over paper toweling.

Repeat with remaining batter.

Fill with your favorite filling.

Here's a few we like: Any flavor fruit jam, sweetened fresh peaches, cream cheese and pineapple, ham and maple syrup.

Endless ideas.

Recipe Source: Food.com

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie

Um, did someone say heaven in a pie? Because...that's what I heard. And ate. And tasted. I thought this would be a cheesecake with some apples, right. Oh no, It's delicious apple pie with some cheesecake. Now don't get me wrong, either would be great, but this was unexpected. So somehow, this made it better. I know that doesn't make sense. But some of the greatest things in this world are unexpected. So get ready to make and eat one of the greatest things in the world.

(Lots of work...totally worth it)

Photo Credit to browneyedbaker.com

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

½-¾ cup caramel sauce
1 cup chopped pecans
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
5-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large egg

For the topping:
¾ cup heavy cream
3-4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
¼-½ cup caramel sauce
Additional chopped pecans, for garnish

To make the crust, preheat the oven to 375° F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round springform pan with parchment paper. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon and melted butter. Toss with a fork until all the crumbs are moistened and the ingredients are evenly mixed. Transfer the mixture to the prepared springform pan and press the crumbs in an even layer over the pan bottom and about half to two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pan. Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden in color. Let cool for about 10 minutes. Pour a layer of caramel into the bottom of the crust and sprinkle evenly with the chopped pecans. Refrigerate the crust while you prepare the filling.


To make the apple filling, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix in the brown sugar, salt and cinnamon and cook for 1 minute, until bubbling. Mix in the apple slices and toss well to coat. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until tender and most of the liquid has been reduced, about 15-20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and pour into the prepared pie shell. Set aside.


Reduce the heat of the oven to 350° F. To make the cheesecake layer, combine the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Mix in the vanilla, egg and lemon juice until fully incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Spread the cheesecake filling into an even layer over the top of the cooked apples in the crust. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven, transfer to a wire rack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.


To serve, carefully remove the sides of the springform pan. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form (being careful not to overbeat.) Spread gently over the top of the chilled cheesecake layer. Top with dollops of caramel sauce and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Sprinkle with a handful of chopped pecans if desired. Slice with a long, thin knife to serve.

Recipe Source: Annie's Eats

Polar Express Hot Chocolate

I've never made homemade hot chocolate. Just packets. That's the only way to do it, right? WRONG. That is the only way not to do it. Scott asked me to find a hot chocolate recipe, and I found this baby. This sweet, creamy, delicious baby. Oh my. Every time I drink it, it's like Heaven in my throat (then esophagus, then in my tummy, my intestines, then in the toelet!-Thank you Amelia)

Photo Credit to the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Polar Express Hot Chocolate
6 cups milk
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips {don't be stingy! Use quality}
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

In a large pot combine all of the ingredients over low heat. Keep mixture over low heat for 30-40 minutes whisking occasionally until chocolate is fully melted and incorporated with the other ingredients. You can add milk here to adjust to your chocolate preference. Give it a good whisking before serving to get it nice and frothy. If you have an immersion blender, that works great here.
Serve immediately or pour into a slow cooker and keep warm until ready to serve.
Top with whipped cream, crushed candy canes, or sprinkles.

Recipe Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells with a Lemon Sage Brown Butter Sauce

A pinterest find. Oh pinterest, how I love thee. Now, I made these for dinner, but after doing that, I decided that they were supposed to be made for appetizers. They were just missing something. I think I ate 7 or 8 (or 10) of them, but I still wasn't satisfied. So, I will only make them for appetizers, but I will most definitely be making them again. (And you have to make the brown butter sauce...take my word for it).

Photo Credit to Proud Italian Cook

Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells 

w/ Lemon Sage Brown Butter Sauce

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 butternut squash, peeled and chopped

16 ounces jumbo pasta shells

2 cups ricotta

1/3 cup parmesan cheese

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup frozed chopped spinach, squeezed and drained

1 egg

Salt

Pepper

Lemon peel, grated

1 stick butter

10 sage leaves {or sprinkle some ground sage in}

Fresh Lemon juice

Toss squash in oil and roast in hot oven at 425 for 15-20 minutes.

Cook your jumbo pasta shells according to directions.

Add the ricotta through lemon peel in a bowl and mix well.

Stuff the shells with the mixture and place in a buttered dish {I ended up using an 8x8 and 9x13}.

Make the sage brown butter sauce by melting butter in a sauté pan until golden brown and bubbly. Add the sage and cook for a couple minutes, then add the lemon juice.

Place your shells in a 400F oven until heated through around 20-25 minutes. When finished spoon your warm sage sauce all over and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Recipe Source: Proud Italian Cook

Cookies & Cream Pudding Cookies

So I have tried 3 Cookies & Cream cookie recipes because I love cookies & cream. I mean, who doesn't? One was too dry, another was good, but this one was ah-mazing! Seriously, off the books. Plus two. Mouthwatering. Dang, too bad I'm writing this at 1:00am...I would make them right now.

Photo Credit to Taste and Tell

Cookies & Cream Pudding Cookies

3/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 pkg (4.2 oz) Cookies and Cream pudding mix
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 Oreo cookies, roughly chopped or crushed
5 oz Hershey's Cookies 'n' Creme chocolate bar, roughly chopped

Instructions
Heat oven to 350F.
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add in the eggs and mix until completely combined. Add in the vanilla.
In another bowl, combine the pudding mix, baking soda, flour and salt. Add into the creamed mixture and mix until combined. Fold in the Oreos and Cookies 'n' Creme bar.
Form dough into tablespoon sized balls and place 2 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 8-12 minutes, or until set.

Note: You could try using white chocolate chips instead of the Cookies 'n' Creme Bar, but its not quite as good.

Recipe Source: Taste & Tell 

{Healthy} Turkey Burgers-The Best

Now, There are a lot of turkey burger recipes out there. I mean, turkey is the new beef...right? Now, I am extremely picky when it comes to burgers. I eat a lot of them, and am pretty darn awesome at it (if I do say so myself...Scott can attest as well if you want). This one was pretty darn awesome. Loved it. You could tell it was a turkey burger, but so scrumptious I would choose it over a regular burger...sometimes.

Photo Credit to My Recipes

{Healthy} Turkey Burgers
1 pound lean ground turkey
½ pound lean turkey sausage, casing removed and crumbled
3 green onions, finely chopped
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, finely grated
1 garlic clove, crushed through a press
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons soy sauce
3 ripe tomatoes, cut crosswise into ½ inch slices
6 Boston lettuce leaves, washed and drained

Combine the turkey, sausage, green onions, celery, zucchini, garlic, oregano, ½ teaspoon pepper, and soy sauce in a bowl and mix gently. With wet hands, shape into 6 (½ inch thick) patties.

Prepare a grill for barbecuing or preheat the broiler and place the burgers on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Grill or broil the burgers 4 inches from the heat source until cooked through, 8 to minutes, turning after 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 3 minutes.

Place the tomatoes on the grill or baking sheet and grill or broil until charred and hot, 5 minutes, turning once and sprinkling with the remaining ½ teaspoon pepper.

Place the lettuce leaves on dinner plates and top each with a burger. Top each burger with a tomato slice.

Serve with roasted potato wedges (or if you need some fat...tater tots).

Recipe Source: Mom's Who Think

{Healthy} Summer-y Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

Another one of those Mom's Who Think recipes. I really like these ladies. After making this, I realized that it tasted more like a summer-y dish after eating it in the middle of winter. So totally worth it though. It was so satisfying and beautiful! Is that creepy when describing food? Ah well...it's out there.

Photo Credit to Food People Want

{Healthy} Summer-y Grilled Chicken Sandwiches

1 large lemon, zested and juiced
1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
4 (4 ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 Tablespoon lemon pepper seasoning mix
4 (2 ounce) sandwich rolls, split
1 small bunch arugula or watercress, trimmed
2 medium tomatoes, sliced

Combine the lemon zest and juice, mayonnaise, and basil in a small bowl and mix well.

Grease a ridged grill pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.

Cook the chicken until marked from the grill, about 4 minutes. Turn over the chicken, sprinkle with the seasoning mix, and cook until no longer pink inside, about 3 minutes longer.

Cut the chicken into thin slices. Open the rolls on a work surface and spread the cut sides with the mayonnaise. Top with half of the arugula, then the tomato and chicken, and then the remaining arugula. Cover with the roll tops.

Serve with homemade coleslaw (bagged coleslaw mix with light dressing).

Recipe Source: Mom's Who Think

{Healthy} Bean & Rice Burritos

Mom's Who Think is a website that I have not fully checked out, but I'm sure it has some awesome stuff. The one thing I have checked out is the planned dinner for a week. And I found healthy planned dinners. For weeks. Thank you women who think!! This is one of those recipes and it was d-lish!

Photo Credit to Taste of Home

{Healthy}Bean & Rice Burritos
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1 ½ teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced
1 carrot, thinly slice diagonally
1 Tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
4 (10 inch) fat free flour tortillas

Combine the rice, beans, and chipotles in microwave safe bowl and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until hot, about 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Set aside.

Combine the bell peppers, carrot, and oil in another microwave safe bowl and toss to coat. Add the chili powder and salt, toss to mix. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high power until softened, about 4 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes.

Warm the tortillas as package label directs and lay out on a work surface. Spoon the rice mixture across the center, and top with the vegetable mixture.

Fold the bottom end upward, covering the filling by 2 inches. Tightly fold both sides inward, overlapping slightly. Wrap the top side over.

Serve with lightly buttered corn.

Recipe Source: Mom's Who Think

{Weight Watchers} Cabbage Soup

My family has been making this recipe for a long time, and I love it. It is originally a Weight Watchers recipe, but I'm not quite sure if that's really true. Just what I've heard from the fam. I know it is actually low in points..but I don't do the point thing. I absolutely love it and can eat, like, a gallon of it and not feel guilty because of all the veggies!

Photo Credit to My Sweet and Savory

Cabbage Soup
1 large onion
2 1/2 cups carrot
2 cups celery
2 bouillon cubes
1 green pepper
1 head cabbage
1-2 cans stewed tomatoes w/bell pepper and onion.
1 package lipton chicken soup mix

Put veggies and water together and boil. Simmer 20-25 minutes.
Add salt, then cabbage & tomatoes.
Boil and simmer 10 minutes.
Add soup mix and simmer 10 more minutes.

Recipe Source: Grandma Schwartz

Breakfast Pizza

Breakfast is the new dinner. I have fallen in love with breakfast...about the time I fell in love with my husband. Thank you mil and hubby! My life is so much better.

Photo Credit to Jimmy Dean

Breakfast Pizza
1 can refrigerated crescent rolls

1 lb cooked sausage/ham

1 cup hash browns

1 cup grated cheddar

3 eggs, beat lightly

3 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons of: red & green peppers, reen onions, mushrooms etc.

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese

Preheat to 375. Smoosh crescent roll triangles for circle crust on 12' pizza pan, sealing edges together. Top with veggies, cheese, meat. Whisk eggs, milk, salt and pepper.
Add the egg mixture, then parm cheese. Bake 20-25 minutes until egg is set.

Recipe Source: Sharrie Webster

Chicken Enchilada Soup

I've gone to a cooking class with my mom a couple of times. It's simple and not super formal and has really delicious, not healthy at all foods. Take this one, for example. No health, really, but so freaking delicious! I hope you love it.

Photo credit to Real Mom Kitchen

Chicken Enchilada Soup
2 1/2 tablespoon corn oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves
2 4 ounce cans of diced green chiles
9 cups water
4 teaspoon beef bouillon
4 teaspoon chicken bouillon
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 pound cooked chicken, shredded
2 tablespoons A-1 sauce
4 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
24 corn tortillas
6 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Saute the onion and garlic in oil. Add remaining ingredients except cheese, tortillas, and paprika. Bring to light boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Cut tortillas in 1/2 inch strips and grate cheese. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 10 more minutes. Remove from heat and serve.

Recipe Source: Lesa Swenson

Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies

Can you imagine salt and sweet together? Because I can. Every. Day. Holy cow I love sweety salt...salty sweet...whatever. I've wanted to try lots of "salted" recipes on Pinterest. This is the first one I tried...I'm completely stoked (yes, I am a 15 year old boy) to make another one. Please try these. You'll be so happy you did.

Salted Caramel Shortbread Cookies

Makes 36 Cookies

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar1teaspoon vanilla

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 bag (14 oz) caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons milk

4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1 teaspoons coarse (kosher or sea) salt

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups butter with electric mixer on high speed until creamy. Beat in sugar and vanilla. On low speed, beat in flour until blended.

Divide dough in half. Between 2 sheets of waxed paper, roll 1 portion of dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter. On ungreased cookie sheet, place cutouts about 2 inches apart. Repeat with second portion of dough.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until set and just barely light golden (do not overbake). Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks; cool completely.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave caramels and milk uncovered on High 2 minutes 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Frost each cookie with about 1 rounded teaspoon caramel mixture.

In small microwavable bowl, melt chocolate and 1 tablespoon butter uncovered on High 1 minute 30 seconds, stirring every 30 seconds, until melted and smooth. Drizzle chocolate over caramel on each cookie. Sprinkle generously with salt. Let stand until set.

Recipe Source: Betty Crocker