Banana-Orange Green Smoothie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Original Almond Milk

1/2 heaping cup Kale (chopped)

1/2 heaping cup spinach

1 medium banana

1 small orange peeled, and de-seeded (if it has seeds)

2 individual serving pkts of Splenda (optional)

2 handfuls of ice

Directions:

Blend together Almond Milk, Kale, and on high for about 1 min. or so. Give it plenty of time to come to a smooth mixture. No lumps please!

Add in banana, orange, splenda (optional), and ice.

Blend until completely smooth. Enjoy!

I need to share an awesome thing with you. I need you to make this your homework for sometime this week. This is seriously a game changer. I saw a recipe for Crock Pot Baked Potatoes on Pinterest a couple weeks back. I pinned it and then forgot about it until today. I didn’t honestly think it would work… It totally did. Why didn’t I know about this?! What is even better is that these potatoes are better than if I had made them in the oven…Please don’t forget about this and the next time you have baked potatoes on the menu try ‘em out of the crockpot!

Crock Pot Baked Potatoes

You need:

• a crock pot
• olive oil
• salt, pepper or for sweet potatoes – sugar and/or cinnamon
• baking potatoes or sweet potatoes
• tin foil

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup Organic Chocolate Soy Milk
• 1 medium Banana
• 1 1/2 cups Kale
• 1 1/2 cup Spinach
• 1 cup Ice

Directions:

Pour soy milk into blender with kale and spinach and blender until completely smooth.

Throw in banana with about a cup of ice.

Blend ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

photos and recipe discovered from http://www.ladybehindthecurtain.com

Upside-Down Cinnamon Apple Coffee Cake 

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups apples, peeled and chopped

1 can (12.4 ounce) Pillsbury cinnamon rolls with icing

1/2 cup pecan halves or pieces

2 tablespoons butter, melted

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons corn syrup

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray 9-inch glass pie plate with cooking spray.  Spread 1 cup of the apples in pie plate.

Separate dough into 8 rolls.  Cut each roll into quarters; place in large bowl.  Add remaining 1/2 cup apples and pecans.

In small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar and corn syrup until well blended.  Add brown sugar mixture to dough mixture; toss gently to combine.  Spoon mixture over apples in pan.

Bake 28 to 38 minutes or until deep golden brown.  Cool 5 minutes.  Invert onto serving platter.

Remove lid from icing.  Microwave icing on high 10 to 15 seconds or until drizzling consistency.  Drizzle over warm coffee cake.  Serve warm.  Serves 8- This recipe was adapted from  the Pillsbury Spring Brunch  Magazine 2010

This is one of the more kid friendly recipes I have tried since I had Amelia. She helped me crack the eggs. She is an expert egg cracker. No lie. She helped me poke holes in the cake with straws, and when it came time for us to pour the condensed milk and caramel topping (yeah you heard me right) over the cake she looked like I had bought her a pony. She smiled her brightest smile and asked me when we could eat it.

I told her it had to cool. I thought the kiddo was gonna cry.

This cake is so moist. It is a recipe you should definitely have up your sleeve for pot lucks, family reunions, and for when company comes over.  It’s best when made the day before.

I hope that whatever readers I do have enjoy this cake as much as I have. It was so easy to make, and even easier to eat.

This recipe could also be customized to suit your favorite candy bars. I am already thinking up some alterations for variety. Heath Bars here I come! Recipe variations soon to come!

Butterfinger Cake

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix, plus ingredients to make the cake ( I use the butter recipe yellow cake mix)

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 jar Smucker’s caramel ice cream topping

1 (8oz) tub Cool-Whip

4 regular sized Butterfinger candy bars, crushed

Directions: 

Bake cake according to direction on the package.

While cake is baking, mix milk and caramel topping until well blended. When the cake is done and while it’s still hot, poke holes in it with a fork or straw. Pour milk mixture over the cake. (Try not to swoon too much!)

Allow cake to cool completely.

Sprinkle two candy bars over cake. Spread Cool Whip over the top, then sprinkle the remaining candy bars on tip. Chill.

Tip: I like to freeze the butterfingers and crush them right in the wrapper.

Lots of love sent my sister’s way for this recipe. It is a perfect idea for when you have company over. It makes two quiches, and you can make them ahead of time as well.

Sausage N Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

Once for coworkers and again yesterday (along with my snickerdoodle cookies) for friends at a cook out. Yummy foods and sweet people make for a good night. Thanks Anna and Rob for having us.

When I tell you that these brownies do funny things to people it’s no laughing matter. Do yourself a favor and add this to your recipe file in the “pass down to future generations” section and thank Mrs. How Sweet for perfecting it. The brownies will make you smile.

The only adaptation I made to Mrs. How Sweet’s recipe had to do with the food coloring. In the original recipe it called for 2tbsp, and when I initially made them I didn’t have enough so I have to improvise. I used 1 tbsp of food coloring plus 1 tbsp water. It worked perfectly and I liked the red color better. My brownies just turned out a shade lighter than the ones photographed.

The second time I made these brownies I did them in my Perfect Brownie Pan. The turned out amazing. I think the dimensions of the Perfect Brownie Pan are 12″ x 8″. I felt like it gave my frosting more room to spread out. In the 8″ x 8″ the brownie to frosting ratio is a bit much, which is fine for me… but my hubby requested it be toned down a smidge.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

all photos from http://www.howsweeteats.com

Red Velvet Brownies

adapted from http://www.howsweeteats.com/

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

1 tablespoon red food coloring (plus 1 tbsp water)

2/3 cups chocolate chips (optional but totally worth it)- I used half milk chocolate and half semi-sweet

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Butter and flour an 8 x 8 cake pan.

In a small bowl, combine cocoa powder, red food coloring, 1 tsp water, and 1 teaspoon vanilla to create a paste.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, then add remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With the mixer on medium speed, add in cocoa powder mixture. Beat until batter is completely red. (If at this time your batter is NOT red, you can add a little more food coloring if desired. Color will depend on brand.) Add flour and salt, mixing until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

Spread in the 8 x 8 pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool completely before frosting.

White Chocolate Frosting

1 stick of butter, at room temperature

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 ounces white chocolate, melted (I used Lindt)

1-2 tablespoons milk (or more if needed)

Cream butter in an electric mixer until fluffy, then add vanilla. Slowly add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time with the mixer on low speed. Add in melted white chocolate and beat until incorporated. To reach desired consistency, add in milk 1 teaspoon at a time with mixer on low speed. If frosting becomes too liquidy, simple add additional sugar.

I made this bread on Tuesday night with high, high hopes. I love Joy the Baker. She is a genius I tell ya! So, when I set out to make this bread I was expecting greatness. I got goodness. This bread is really good, but in the beginning I thought the batter tasted better than the cooked and finished bread. I liked my Banana Banana Nut Bread better. Now I still got up the next day to eat some for breakfast, because it was good. Don’t get me wrong. It was yummy. The second day I tried it was a whole other story…The thing about Joy’s Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread is that the flavors take a second to marry in the bread. Let them hang out a while and get to know one another. This is a make ahead bread. It’s a “company is coming over” bread that you could make and throw in the fridge wrapped in wax paper and aluminum foil so you can have an easy morning the next day. You can whip it out of the fridge and let them “ooooh” and “ahhh” over your baking greatness. Go ahead. Try it. They will…

And Joy… if you ever read this hunny I am sorry I doubted your recipe. It was delish sweetie pea. Awesome even.

Brown Butter Banana Strawberry Bread

makes 1 9×5-inch loaf

recipe and photos from www.joythebaker.com

Ingredients:

6 ounces unsalted butter, melted and browned to just over 1/2 cup of butter

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup plain yogurt (any fat content) or buttermilk

1 1/4 cup mashed banana (from about 3 medium bananas)

1/2 cup diced strawberries plus 1 strawberry very thinly sliced, for topping

Directions:

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F.  Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts.  When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown.  Swirl the pan as the butter cooks.  When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl.  Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning.  Set aside to cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, vanilla extract, and yogurt or buttermilk.  Whisk in the mashed bananas.  When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.

Add the wet ingredients, all at once to the dry ingredients.  Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour.  Fold in the diced strawberries.  Fold together ingredients, but try not to over stir.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and top with thinly sliced strawberries.   Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Bread will last 4 days, well wrapped at room temperature.  This loaf also freezes well.

(…Now this is serious… in Joy’s post she mentions that this bread would be delicious served warm and slathered with butter or cream cheese. Joy is a smart girl. You would be wise to follow this advice.)

Also, on another note… I am think of using this bread to use in french toast tomorrow morning. Whatcha think?

Ingredients:

• 1 box(18.5 Ounce) German Chocolate Cake Mix
• 1 cup Finely Chopped Pecans
• ⅓ cups Evaporated Milk
• ½ cups Evaporated Milk (additional)
• ½ cups Butter, Melted
• 60 whole Caramels, Unwrapped
• ⅓ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• ¼ cups Powdered Sugar

I had saved this recipe after finding it on the The Family Kitchen last week and decided to try it last night just as a chocolate craving kicked in. This is too easy too make…. so easy that it could be dangerous. Nutella is a new obsession for my Hubby, and I may need to hide this recipe from him. He is not one to voluntarily cook but this cake was good. Too good… and did I mention EASY… too easy. It takes no time at all to make. If you are making it for yourself I would suggest halving this recipe. It makes two or three small mugs of cake or one CRAZY HUGE mug for a single serving. If you are counting calories or want to not over indulge too much then just half the recipe… This is too good to trust yourself to not eat it all if you don’t half it.

Just be careful not to over cook it in the microwave. That would be sad.

Nutella Mug Cake

Ingredients

4 tablespoons self rising flour
4 tablespoons white granulated sugar
1 egg
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
3 tablespoons Nutella
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Method

1. Combine all ingredients in a large coffee mug. Whisk well with a fork until smooth. Microwave on high for 1 1/2 – 3 minutes. (Time depends on microwave wattage. Mine took 1 /2 minutes.) Top with whipped cream and a little chocolate sauce if desired.

2. Top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup. Enjoy!

Note: Depending on the wattage of your microwave, you may have to increase cooking time.

Makes 1 very large serving or you can split it up into normal size mugs to make two or maybe even three servings.

If you do split up the mixture into multiple mugs you will have to adjust the cooking time. Just watch it carefully in the microwave so as to not over cook it and end up with dry cake!