All Bran Muffins

All growing up, my grandma Schwartz made the same few things. Roast. Grilled cheese. Chocolate chip cookies.   Funeral potatoes. Gravy, turkey, and rolls. Chicken noodle soup. Bread. And All-Bran muffins...delicious, moist, "fool you with their deliciousness but they're really healthy" muffins. They fooled me all growing up, but now I just delight in the fact that they are fiber-rich and yummy. Thank you GRANDMA!

Photo Credit to kelloggs.com

All-Bran Muffins
Makes 12 muffins
1 1/2 cup Kellog's All-Bran Cereal
1 1/4 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oven to 400. In large bowl, pour milk & cereal, let soak for about 10 minutes.

In small bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt & baking powder. Add egg and oil to cereal; beat well. Add dry mixture and stir only until combined. Pour into muffin tins. Bake 18-20 minutes.

Recipe Source: Grandma Schwartz adapted from Kellogg's

Peanut Butter Silk Cake

Photo Credit to bettycrocker.com

This was one of my first attempts at anything but a 9x13 shaped cake. I know, it was a few years ago. But I've made it a couple more times, because it is SO good. (Of course you know how partial I am to peanut butter) It's moist, delicious and heavenly. Sometimes I judge Betty Crocker...sorry Betty. I'm not even sure why, maybe I think they're too easy (because I'm dumb enough to want "challenging" recipes), or maybe I don't like them because I like to make everything from scratch (yeah, that dumb thing in me again). Anyway...this is a recipe that proves me wrong. Try it.

Peanut Butter Silk Cake
1 box yellow cake mix

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 eggs

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1 container (1 lb) chocolate frosting (or one recipe chocolate frosting...still haven't found one I love)

1 cup chopped peanuts, if desired

Heat oven to 350°F (or 325°F for dark or nonstick pans). Generously grease bottoms only of 2 (8- or 9-inch) round cake pans with shortening or cooking spray.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, 1/2 cup peanut butter, the oil and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Pour into pans.

Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Run knife around sides of pans to loosen cakes; remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; stir in brown sugar. Heat to boiling; boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat. Refrigerate 10 minutes.

In chilled medium bowl, beat whipping cream on high speed until soft peaks form; set aside. In another medium bowl, beat 1/2 cup peanut butter and the brown sugar mixture on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add whipped cream to peanut butter mixture; beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth and creamy.

Split each cake layer horizontally to make 2 layers. Fill each layer with about 2/3 cup peanut butter mixture to within 1/2 inch of edge. Frost side and top of cake with frosting. Press peanuts onto frosting on side of cake. Store covered in refrigerator.

Note: I like a little more peanut butter filling, so I double that part of the recipe, then add whatever I feel like. And whatever I have left over...I might eat the extra on its own...

Recipe Source: Adapted from Betty Crocker

{Overnight} Breakfast Enchiladas

Photo Credit to Shelbi Keith

Easy, delicious breakfast recipes are few and far between. This one is awesome. Maybe not the healthiest because of all the cheese, but SO delicious.

Breakfast Enchiladas
2 cups Cubed, Cooked Ham
½ cups Chopped Green Onions
2-½ cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese, Divided
10 whole Flour Tortillas
2 cups Half-and-half
6 whole Eggs
1 tablespoon Flour
Salsa, To Serve

Prep this the night before and cook in the morning.

Stir together ham, green onions and 2 cups of cheese. Use a 1/3-cup measuring cup to scoop out cheese mixture onto a tortilla. Roll up tortilla and place seam side down in a 9 x 13 inch baking dish. Roll up all tortillas and squeeze them into the baking dish.

Whisk together half-and-half, eggs and flour. Pour over tortillas. Cover and let sit overnight.

In the morning, preheat oven to 350ºF. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Remove and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup of cheese over enchiladas. Bake for 10 more minutes. Serve with salsa.

Recipe Source: Tasty Kitchen

Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles

There are quite a lot of cheesecake recipes on this website. Yeah, rock it. I love me some cheesecakes. Especially little trifle ones, perfect little portions {that you can have two of}. And I have been ridiculously obsessed with pumpkin this season, but I don't hear any complaining...

Photo Credit to mybakingaddiction.com

Pumpkin Cheesecake Trifles
Makes 4-6 Servings
12 Gingersnaps/Graham crackers, crushed
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup pure pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 large tub (12 oz.) whipped topping (Cool Whip), thawed, divided

In a medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter. Divide the crumbs into the bottoms of your trifle glasses. Gently press crumbs to form an even layer of crust.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, vanilla, sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Beat until well combined and creamy.Use a spatula to fold in half of the whipped topping. Gently combine ingredients until no streaks remain.

To Assemble the Trifles: Pipe or spoon a layer of pumpkin cheesecake onto the Biscoff crust followed by a layer of whipped topping. Repeat layers until your trifle reaches the top of your glass or jar.

Store trifles in the refrigerator until ready to serve. If desired, garnish with cookie crumbs.

Note: When I made this the first time, I used little plastic cups from Ikea, and it worked wonders.

Recipe Source: Adapted from My Baking Addiction

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake

I got this ready in about 10 minutes. Completely. Awesome, right? I love that you don't have to soften butter. Sometimes I decide I want a dessert, and I have about 30 minutes to make and eat it. This was awesome. More moist than I could have imagined. And it was so delicious! We ate a lot of pieces in a little...a very little! Try it.

Photo Credit to picky-palate.com

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Sheet Cake

Makes 16-20 pieces1 box yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
3.4 ounce box Vanilla Instant Pudding Mix
1/2 cup sour cream
15 ounce can pumpkin
1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cups powdered sugar
1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream (start w 1/4 cup and add a little more cream if needed)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a jelly roll pan with non stick cooking spray.

Place cake mix, eggs, oil, milk, pudding, sour cream and pumpkin into a stand or electric mixer, beating until well combined, about 1 1/2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Place butter into a microwave safe bowl and melt, about 30-40 seconds. Add brown sugar and cinnamon to bowl, mixing until combined. Drizzle mixture evenly over cake then take a knife and run it through to swirl.

Bake cake for 30-35 minutes, until cooked through and remove. Place powdered sugar and cream into a large bowl and mix until creamy and smooth. Drizzle over warm cake then let cool for 20 minutes before cutting into squares. Refrigerate if not serving same day. Enjoy with milk!

Recipe Source: Picky Palate

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Bundt cakes are ridiculously scrumptious. I love their rich, denseness. I sometimes look up bundt cakes because that's what I feel like {which I also feel like is a little weird...} no matter the flavor. This one is a definite winner. I love cream cheese in anything and little different texture from the apples makes this a favorite bundt.

Photo Credit to bakedbyrachel.com

Apple-Cream Cheese Bundt Cake

Cream Cheese Filling
1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg, at room temperature
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake
1 cup finely chopped pecans (plus extra for garnish, optional)
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed light brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups peeled and finely chopped Gala apples (about 2-3 medium apples)

Praline Frosting
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners’ sugar

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 12 or 14 cup bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray with
flour (the cake will fit in a 12-cup bundt, but just barely).

To make the filling: Add the cream cheese, butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer
fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until well combined and
smooth. Add the egg, flour and vanilla and continue beating just until incorporated. Set
aside.

Place the pecans on a rimmed baking sheet and toaste in the oven for 8-10 minutes, or
just until fragrant. Remove the pan to a wire rack.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, both sugars, the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and
allspice together. Add the eggs, oil, applesauce and vanilla and mix just until combined
(I started with a whisk and switched to a rubber spatula). Fold in the toasted pecans and
chopped apples until distributed throughout the batter.

Spoon about 1/2 to 2/3 of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Top evenly with the
cream cheese filling, leaving a 1-inch border around the edge of the pan (I found this
tricky, just do the best you can). Use a thin paring knife to swirl the cream cheese filling
with the cake batter just a few times – less is more. Top the filling with the remaining
cake batter.

Bake for 60-75 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted in the center of the cake comes out
clean. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto
the rack and allow to cool completely (at least 2 hours).

To make the frosting: Combine the brown sugar, butter and milk in a 2-qt saucepan. Set
over medium heat, and bring to a boil, whisking almost constantly. Boil for 1 minute,
whisking constantly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Whisk in the
confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, until it is completely incorporated and the frosting
is smooth. Gently stir the frosting until it starts to thicken, then pour it over the cooled
cake. (The frosting will set up quickly, so don’t make it in advance – wait until the cake
has cooled completely.) Garnish with extra pecans, if desired.

Recipe Source: Baked by Rachel 

{Perfect} Classic Pancakes

I have tried a lot of pancakes. These were the best I have tried. According to myself...and my husband. So, yeah for sure, it's a winner!

Photo Credit to thesisterscafe.com

Classic Pancakes
2 eggs, separated
2 c. milk
½ c. oil
2 c. flour
1 Tb baking powder
1 tsp salt
1 Tb sugar

Beat egg whites until stiff; set aside. Combine yolks, milk and oil. Stir together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar and add to yolk and milk mixture; mix well. Fold in the egg whites gently with a spoon so you can still see streaks of the whites in the batter. Scoop onto hot griddle (around 275° works well for me) using a large soup spoon. (Each pancake should only be a few tablespoons of batter.) Flip when bubbles pop on the top, or when pancake is golden underneath.

Recipe Source: The Sister's Cafe