recipe ... pumpkin zucchini bread

• Pumpkin Zucchini Bread
  1 egg
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1 1/2 cups zucchini, finely grated
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
  
  
  Crumb Topping

• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/4 cup oats
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 6 tablespoons cold butter
• 
  
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
• 
  
• In a large mixing bowl, beat the egg, pumpkin and sugar. Then use a food processor to finely grate up the zucchini. Be sure to use a thin cloth or fine strainer to get as much water as possible out of the grated zucchini, and mix it in. Then add in the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Mixing until everything is combined. 
• 
  
• To make the crumb topping... In a small bowl, combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter using a pastry cutter or fork, until the butter is mixed in well and it is a crumbly consistency.
• 
  
• Pour the bread batter into a greased/floured loaf pan and cover it well with the crumb topping.
• 
  
• Bake for 1 hour. Enjoy!

recipe ... homemade bread

It is spring in Colorado, which means the weather is bipolar! Well, Saturday was cold, windy and

 rainy/snowy, so it was a perfect day to stay cozy inside. I watched an episode of The Pioneer Woman,

where Ree made homemade bread and I decided to try out the recipe, to go along with homemade

chicken noodle soup. So, even if the weather is not very spring-y, I can make the best of it with the

 yummiest comfort food! 

Making bread can be tiresome and time consuming but it is always worth the work! I just love the feel of kneading the smooth dough, seeing it rise, smelling it bake and the taste of it right out of the oven. 

YUMM!!

Homemade Bread / Dinner Rolls 

(recipe adapted from Ree Drummond)

(Personal Note: This original recipe is "White Sandwich Bread", however I made it into dinner rolls this time. It makes 2 loafs of bread or 24 dinner rolls.)

Ingredients...

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 tablespoon sugar

2 teaspoons kosher salt

5 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for flouring the board

Directions...

Combine the yeast and 2 cups warm water in a mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Add the butter, sugar and salt. Use a wooden spoon to stir in one-third of the flour until smooth. Add another third of the flour and stir, then turn it out onto a floured board to knead. Knead it over 15 minutes, adding the rest of the flour as you knead. Don't let it get dry too fast; it should stay sticky. Put the dough in a buttered bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it rise for 1 hour.

Knead the dough another 5 minutes, place it back in the bowl and let it rise another hour.

Butter 2 loaf pans. Shape the dough into 2 loaves and transfer them to the prepared pans. Cover and let rise for 45 minutes.

(Personal Note: I made "clover rolls" in muffin tins, by putting 3 small balls of dough into each muffin and allowing them to raise for another 30-45 minutes.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bake the loaves until golden brown on top and cooked through, 30 to 35 minutes. 

(The dinner rolls took 25-30 minutes to bake.)

This is my kind of lunch!! So yummy! 

recipe ... cream cheese mints

My cousin is about to have a baby girl!! Yay!!! So, I made these mints for her baby shower.

These are everyone's favorite, no matter the event! You can make them without a mold or you 

can find molds online for any holiday/occasion. They are easy to make and sooo yummy! 

Cream Cheese Mints

Ingredients…

1 eight-ounce package cream cheese (room temperature)

1 two-pound bag of powdered sugar

Peppermint Extract, as desired

Food coloring, as desired

Granulated sugar, for coating mints

Directions…

Using a standing or electric mixer, beat the cream cheese in a large bowl, with a couple of drops of peppermint extract and desired food coloring. Start adding powdered sugar, a heaping cup at a time, until the dough is no longer sticky (a playdough-like consistency). You may not use the whole bag of powdered sugar. Add more peppermint extract, if needed. Add more food coloring for a richer color.

If the dough is too sticky, add more powdered sugar.

(Note: I made two colors, so I divided the dough in half and colored separately.)

To make the mints… pinch off a marble-sized amount of the dough, roll it in a ball, coat with granulated sugar, press into a special rubber candy mold. (Candy molds can be purchased on Amazon or you can simply press the mints flat with a fork, cup, etc.) Allow the mints to dry a bit in open air, then store them in the freezer until ready to serve.

These mints freeze well and thaw out quickly, so you can make them for any special event ahead of time and pull them out of the freezer about an hour before serving.

These mints are sure to be the hit of your next party!

recipe ... fudge mint truffles

I made these truffles for Valentine’s day this year... They are minty and very rich! 

I love them!!

Fudge Mint Truffles

Ingredients...

1 cup butter (softened)

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cup flour

1/2 cup cocoa powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 cup Andes mint chips

1 bag of Wilton’s chocolate melts (or other melting chocolate)

Directions...

In a large bowl, mix together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract. In a small bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, salt, and baking soda, then mix into the wet ingredients, until well combined. Stir in the Andes mint chips.

Chill the dough for about 1 hour. Then form 1″ balls and place on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. (A cookies scooper helps with this step.) Put the dough balls in the freezer until they are nearly frozen, at least a couple of hours. (You can store them in a freezer bag for later.)

Once the dough balls are nearly frozen, melt the Wilton’s chocolate melts in a microwave-safe bowl, in 30 second increments, stirring after each time, until the chocolate is smooth. (For other chocolate melts, follow the instructions on the package.)

(Note: It is best to work in small batches, so that the dough balls stay frozen.)

One at a time, put a dough ball in the melted chocolate, coating it. Lift it from the chocolate using a fork, so that it is on a flat surface, and tap the fork on the side of the bowl to remove excess chocolate. Then using another fork or toothpick, slide the truffle on to a lined baking sheet or plate. You will need to work fast as the chocolate will set quickly on the frozen dough.

Allow the chocolate to set and you are done. Enjoy these decadent, minty treats!

Store truffles in the refrigerator. 

recipe | cinnamon shortbread cookies

I always love to have shortbread cookies with hot tea in a pretty little tea cup... I can pretend that I am in England and it's afternoon tea time! I usually like to just buy the Girl Scout shortbread cookies, but this year I decided to make my own! As it turns out, these homemade shortbread cookies taste much better the Girl Scout version. And they are so easy to make, with only 4 ingredients. The cinnamon was the perfect touch to compliment my favorite tea.

Recipe: Cinnamon Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients…

1½ cups Butter, softened
1 cup Powdered Sugar

1 teaspoon Cinnamon
3 cups All-purpose Flour

Directions…

 Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter until smooth. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Then, gradually mix in the flour, until well blended. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as you mix.

Sprinkle a clean counter top with flour and roll out the dough to be about ¼ inch thick. Use additional flour, as needed. Use a cookie cutter to create your desired shape or just cut the dough into squares. Place the cookies on to a cookie sheet, covered with parchment paper.

 Bake for 12-15 minutes or until they are just barely golden. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool.

Pour a cup of tea and enjoy!

recipe | mint brownies

I made these brownies for my Bible study group tonight! Obviously, because chocolate and mint are perfect together and I thought they would be fitting for today, since it is Saint Patrick's Day!

I did sneak a little taste before packing them up for tonight and they are amazing!

Recipe: Mint Brownies

To make the Brownies...
1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup White Sugar
3/4 cup Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 cup Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa Powder
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 cup Andes Mints, chopped

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line an 8×8″ baking pan with parchment paper. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium-low heat. Add both sugars and mix. Remove from heat. Add eggs and vanilla, mix thoroughly. Then, mix in the flour,cocoa and salt, until well combined. Fold in the chopped Andes Mints. Pour mixture into baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

To make the Mint Frosting...
6 tablespoons Butter, softened

2 tablespoons Milk

3-4 cups Powdered Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Peppermint Extract
Green Food Coloring

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and half of the powered sugar until fluffy. Mix in the milk and peppermint extract. Then, add a cup of powdered sugar at a time, until the frosting is the right consistency. Finally, mix in drops of green food coloring until it is the desired shade of green.

Frost the brownies once they are completely cool.
Sprinkle the top with even more chopped Andes Mints.

Enjoy!

recipe | coconut cream truffles

I have a recipe to share for a little sweet treat, just in time for Valentine's Day! Any kind of truffle is always a good choice to make for those you love. Everyone is impressed when you give them a handmade truffle, and of course, these taste better than the store-bought boxes of candy.

If you have never made candy before, this is a simple recipe to try. Coating the truffles with the melted chocolate takes a bit of practice, but it is fun and if they look a little "rustic" it's okay!

Recipe: Coconut Cream Truffles

Ingredients…
3 cups coconut (sweetened, shredded)

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup butter (melted)

1  bag Wilton Dark Chocolate Melts

Instructions…

In a large mixing bowl, combine coconut, powdered sugar, sweetened condensed milk and melted butter until it is well mixed. Use your hands to form 1-2 inch balls and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Put the coconut balls in the freezer for at least 2 hours.

Once the coconut balls are ready…

Use a microwave safe bowl to gradually melt the Wilton Dark Chocolate wafers in the microwave, 45 seconds at a time, stirring in between each time. Once the chocolate is fully melted, use a fork to roll each coconut ball in the melted chocolate. Once the coconut ball is fully coated, remove it from the chocolate on the fork and tap fork on the edge of the bowl to shake off excess chocolate. Gently place each chocolate coated truffle back on the cookie sheet. I use a toothpick to help slide it off the fork without messing up the chocolate. Chill the truffles until the chocolate is completely set... And they are ready to eat!!!

It is best if the truffles are stored in the refrigerator.

Happy Valentine's Day!

recipe | healthier banana muffins

These muffins are healthier than normal because there is no butter/oil in the recipe and the sugar
is reduced, adding applesauce (no sugar added), which adds natural sweetness and moisture.
They turned out so good... great flavor and texture. And I figured out the calories using
MyFitnessPal.com and each muffin comes in at 81 calories, which makes them even better! 

I will definitely be making this recipe often when I have ripe bananas in the kitchen.

Recipe: Healthier Banana Muffins

Ingredients…

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg 

1/4 cup applesauce (no sugar added)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions…

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas, sugar, applesauce, egg and vanilla until it is well mixed. In a small bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix into the banana mixture until all is evenly combined, do not over mix. Pour the batter into greased muffin tins, approximately 2/3 full. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with a little bit of brown sugar and oats, if you’d like. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.

... a perfect breakfast, with a cup of tea!!

recipe | pumpkin cobbler cake

I meant to share this post around Thanksgiving/Christmas time, because it is an excellent and
easy dessert for the holidays. Unfortunately I got a bit behind on my blog... BUT it's never too
late to share a great pumpkin recipe. And I am sure I will make it again this winter, because
I love pumpkin desserts and this is a really good one!

Recipe: Pumpkin Cobbler Cake

INGREDIENTS...

1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin

1 can (10 oz.) evaporated milk

¾ cup brown sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cloves

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 box yellow cake mix

2 sticks butter, melted

1 cup chopped pecans

½ cup toffee bits

DIRECTIONS...

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease the bottom and sides of a 9 x 13 inch cake pan.
In a large bowl combine the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and spices.
Whisk until combined. Pour the pumpkin mixture into your buttered pan.
Evenly spread the yellow cake mix over the top of the pumpkin.
Sprinkle the chopped pecans & toffee bits over the cake mix.
Drizzle the melted butter evenly over the top.
Bake for 45-50 minutes, until the center is set. 

Chill before serving and top with whipped cream… so yummy! 

recipe | pumpkin spice frosted cookies

Pumpkin Spice Cookies

1 stick butter, softened

½ cup coconut oil

1 cups granulated sugar

1 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon all spice

2 eggs

1 teaspoons vanilla

8 ounces pumpkin puree

2 cups all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and coconut oil until well mixed and creamy. Add granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and all spice. Beat until combined. Beat in the eggs and 2 teaspoons of vanilla until combined. Beat in the pumpkin puree. Gradually mix in the flour until all is well combined.

Drop a spoonful of dough two inches apart on to a cookie sheet.
Bake for 10  minutes. Move cookies to a wire racks to cool completely.

Cinnamon Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting

6 ounces cream cheese, softened

½ stick butter, softened

¼ cup light brown sugar

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon vanilla

1-2 Tablespoons milk

2-4 cups powdered sugar

Mix softened cream cheese and butter until it is smooth and creamy. Mix in the brown sugar and
cinnamon. Mix in the vanilla and milk. Finally, gradually add in the powdered
sugar one cup at a time, until it is the proper consistency.

The frosting goes so perfectly on these cookies. They are amazing!

I am so happy it is time for fall baking!

recipe | peach crisp

My favorite thing about the end of the summer is fresh peaches!! They are my most favorite fruit. Of course, I love peach crisp (hence this recipe) but I can honestly say that a plain peach is just as good. Either way I can not get enough of them 

right now. Another thing that has been interesting to me lately is coconut oil... I have been more curious about it since I made homemade chocolate shell with it. So, I was excited to try it in this recipe for peach crisp topping. I am not too sure 

of the health pros & cons of using coconut oil, but I do know it made this topping taste pretty great!

Peach Crisp

(Recipe adapted from Summer Harms)

Ingredients for the peach mixture...

5 peaches, chopped 

1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 Tablespoon flour

Ingredients for the crisp topping...
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup oats
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
5 Tablespoons coconut oil

Directions...
Preheat oven to 350º
In a large bowl, gently mix the chopped peaches, sugar, cinnamon and flour. 
Pour the peach mixture in an 8x8 or 9x9 dish and set aside. 
Combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a fork until crumbly. 
Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over all the peaches. 
Bake for 50 minutes. Double this recipe for a 9x13 baking dish. 

recipe | homemade chocolate shell

I have always loved "Magic Shell" on ice cream. It is chocolaty and yummy, and I love the way it hardens on ice cream. When I was a kid I went through a phase of loving it so much that my grandma actually gave me a bottle for my birthday as a "joke gift" (kind of)... I took it seriously though and wouldn't let anyone else in my family have any. So, needless to say, I was pretty excited to find a recipe on Pinterest for for homemade chocolate shell!!!! And I will say, this is definitely the easiest recipe I have ever posted, which is awesome, but may not be such a good thing...

Homemade Chocolate Shell

Ingredients...

1 cup chocolate chips 
(I used Hersey's Special Dark chips)

2 tbsp pure coconut oil

Directions...

Put the chocolate chips and the coconut oil in a small microwave safe dish.
Microwave for 60 seconds, until it is all melted and stir until smooth. 

And that's it!
Now, just drizzle it over your ice cream and allow it to harden before eating.

Store left over chocolate shell in a microwave safe airtight container. The magic shell will thicken up when it sits, but just reheat it in the microwave for 30-60 seconds when you're ready to serve again.

Easy and Sooo good!!!

recipe | focaccia bread

I love baking bread!!! And this basic Focaccia recipe is my new favorite!! It is very simple to make (with a KitchenAid mixer) and the taste/texture is amazing! For some reason I really like to eat it with Cheddar Broccoli & Ham soup. 

I topped my Focaccia simply with coarse sea salt and a little bit of basil. But I have seen many with different "toppings" 

like rosemary, garlic, tomatoes, olives, caramelized onions, etc... So this is a great basic recipe that could be flavored

in a variety of ways. Also, I know this dough would make a really good pizza crust!

Recipe : Basic Focaccia Bread

Ingredients...

1 3/4 cups warm water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 package active dry yeast
5 cups all-purpose flour + additional for kneading
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil + additional for bowl and pan
1 tablespoon salt + coarse sea salt for sprinkling on top

Directions...

Combine warm water, yeast and sugar in a mixing bowl fitted for a KitchenAid mixer. Set bowl aside for 10-15 minutes to allow the yeast to start dissolving.

Attach the dough hook to your KitchenAid mixer. Add the flour, salt and olive oil to the bowl with the yeast mixture. Begin the mixer on low speed until the dough comes together. Then turn the mixer to medium speed and continue to knead the dough in the mixer for 5 minutes, until it is smooth.

Transfer the dough to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead it by hand a few times. If the dough is still sticky give it a little bit more flour.

Brush the inside of a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough in the bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow the dough to raise for at least 1 hour.

Brush a 9x13 pan generously with olive oil. Put the dough in the pan and press it out to the edges and corners of the pan. Then, use your fingers to make several indentations all over the top of the dough, which will give it the uneven texture that is characteristic of Focaccia. Brush the top with a little bit more olive oil and sprinkle with coarse sea salt & the herbs or "toppings" of your choice.

Allow the dough to raise again, for about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown. Allow Focaccia Bread to cool before cutting and serving.

It looks so yummy!!