#69) Banana Coffee Cake

Can I just say that living alone is one the most depressing things I have ever done? And this fact is just emphasized every single time I go into the kitchen - breakfast for one, lunch for one, dinner for one, tea for one, and most sadly of all, dessert for one!

I know you are probably all saying "Enough with the self-pity, already." But this is a huge issue for me because not only am I lonely, but now because I have no one to share my goodies with I make them a lot less often, and that makes me sad, too.

Ok, my rant is over, I promise. Now let me tell you just how good this coffee cake is. I done some reading and researching when I decided to turn my latest batch of rotting bananas into a sweet treat and through the jigs and the reels I came up with a very moist, very tasty, and semi-light coffee cake (if you cut the amount of chocolate, drastically LOL). My only issue was that I added a little too much chocolate. I know, I can hear your gasps of shock and disbelief, but it's true - it was a little too chocolate-y, even for me. But other than that it is fantastic and will now be a go-to recipe, when fiance comes to visit and I have someone to share it with that is :)

Ingredients

3/4 cup chocolate chips (I used minis, and will probably use like 1/3 cup next time)
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped nuts (I used pecans, but you can use whatever you have on hand)
1/2 tbsp cinnamon

3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
dash of salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1 egg white
3 mashed bananas
3 tbsp sour cream (I used fat free)

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350º and spray a loaf pan with non-stick spray.

-Mix together first 4 ingredients and set aside.

-Sift together dry ingredients.

-Cream together butter and sugar. Add egg white, bananas, and sour cream.

-Stir in dry ingredients with as few strokes as possible.

-Pour half of batter into pan. Spread half the streusel over top. Cover with remaining batter. Spread remaining streusel over top.

-Bake for 25-30 minutes.

#68) Creamy Cheesecake

You feel neglected, I understand. No, you're right, I haven't been paying enough attention to you. I have been very distant lately.

Well folks, I have been away so long because I have found that living alone means I am responsible for eating anything and everything that is baked in my apartment, and with a wedding coming up that probably isn't a good idea!

However, I braved that Trans-Labrador highway this weekend to spend Thanksgiving with my man :) and we had a great turkey dinner with some friends. You know what that means, right? I had a perfect excuse to make some dessert!!!

So here it is - the creamiest cheesecake you will ever eat. My end result was very creamy, almost too creamy, but I think I know where I went wrong. First of all, I think I should have baked it a little longer than I did. I took it out after a respectable amount of time, but I did not take into consideration that the seal is gone on fiance's oven... Result - an almost runny centre. But, the guests still ate it and really enjoyed it... So much so that the whole 10" cake is gone! But I think the bakeapple sauce helped :)


Ingredients

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup butter, melted

2 (8-ounce) packs cream cheese, softened (I used light)
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
2 cups sour cream (I used fat free)
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350º.

-Mix together first three ingredients. Press into bottom of a greased 10" springform pan and up about 1" along the sides. Let sit in fridge while making the filling.

-Beat cream cheese until smooth.

-Add eggs, one at a time.

-Gradually add sugar.

-Stir in sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla.

-Pour into crust-lined pan.

-Place a dish of water on the bottom rack of the oven to stop your cheesecake from drying out and cracking.

-Bake for 1 hour. The middle should be slightly jiggly.

-Let cool in pan for 30 minutes then move to fridge for several hours, overnight if possible.

-Enjoy!

#67) Indulgent PB Cookies

OMG!!! I have missed you guys soooooo much this summer!!!!!!!

My summer was super crazy this year and I only made it into the kitchen 2 or 3 times :( On the bright, though, I have my Bachelor of Education all done and am officially a certified teacher :D I am all settled into my new apartment and am getting comfortable in my new job.

So you know what that means - I am back and ready to bake :)

You may notice a peanut butter and chocolate theme on my blog that arrives in spurts. Well, let me tell you that those spurts always coincide with a visit with my brother. He has come to help me settle in here and as a small reward I offered to make a new sweet treat, and of course, he demanded a chocolaty and peanut buttery version. And trust me, I am not one to disappoint :p

We had a really hard time naming these, by the way, because there is so much going on: not only do we have my favourite peanut butter cookie so far, but we have the best chocolate icing I have ever made, AND mini caramel Rolos on top!!! (Thank you for the applause! LOL)

So please, stay tuned for more frequent posts now that I have a kitchen again, and try out these cookies because you will never want another plain PB cookie again :)

Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 brown sugar
1 egg
2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Steps:

-Preheat oven to 375°F. (I found this a little high and reduced to 350°F)
-Beat together shortening and peanut butter. Add sugars and beat until fluffy.
-Add egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine.
-Sift together dry ingredients. Add to peanut butter mixture.
-Roll into balls and place on ungreased baking sheet.
-Bake for 8-10 minutes.
-Let cool completely.

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups icing sugar
2 1/2 tbsp milk
1/2 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Stir cocoa into melted butter.
-Alternately add milk and icing sugar, beating between additions.
-Add more milk if necessary.
-Stir in vanilla.

Assembly

Spread icing on tops of cooled cookies. Add mini rolos. Hide the cookies, because if not they will disappear HaHa!

#66) Strawberry Almond Brownies

I recently started a Facebook page and I have been using this page to get suggestions from my fans about what to bake next. Strawberries seemed to be the theme this week, so I paired that suggestion with my craving for brownies and these tasty creations were born. Now that they are finished I would have to admit I would change a thing or tow next time around:

I used a little too much cake filling - I should have used just enough to fill the centre, leaving about an inch edge so that the brownie layers could have baked together more.

Also, they taste very rich, as in like dark chocolate, and most of the people I share my treats with like milk chocolate more so I should have stuck to white sugar and upped it a little, I think. But if you prefer dark chocolate, like me, they are great!

So please give them a try and let me know what you think! And if you want to join my Facebook page just click the badge in the sidebar :)

Strawberry Cake Filling

Ingredients

2 cups strawberries, cut into halves
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch

1/3 cup chocolate chips

Steps

-Boil strawberries, water, and sugar until most half the water has evaporated. Reduce to low heat.
-Mix together cornstarch with enough water to make a runny paste. Add to strawberry mixture, constantly stirring, until strawberry mixture begins to thicken.
-Continue to cook for 5 minutes over low heat. Let cool slightly.


Brownies

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (white will be fine)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup almonds, chopped

Steps

-Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 8x8 inch pan.
-Mix together butter, sugar, and vanilla.
-Add eggs, one at a time. Beat well after each addition.
-Add cocoa. Beat until blended.
-Add flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Beat well.
-Stir in half of almonds. Reserve rest for later.

Assembly

-Pour half brownie mixture into prepared pan.
-cover with cake filling (I would suggest using just enough filling to cover the brownies within one inch of the edge).
-Sprinkle chocolate chips over top.
-Cover with remaining brownie batter.
-Sprinkle remaining almonds over top.
-Bake for 25-30 minutes. Let cool completely.

#65) Gooey Pecan Cake

This cake was made because my two besties are coming for supper today - my maid of honour and a high school friend, who is her bf :) Although we are all looking forward to the BBQ, this dessert will be the highlight of the meal, I think. The chocolate cake is spiced up with some cinnamon, and the pecan topping is gooey and sweet enough to cut the cinnamony taste. Looking forward to sharing this one!!!

Pecan Topping

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter (not margarine)
3 tbsp margarine
1 cup packed brown sugar
3 tbsp water
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1 cup pecan halves

Steps

-Melt butter and margarine in a medium saucepan.
-Add brown sugar and water. Bring to a boil and keep boiling for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mixture will be smooth.
-Add chopped pecans to mixture. Add remaining pecans. Set aside.

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sour cream

Steps

-Grease a 10-inch springform pan. To prevent leakage wrap the outside of the pan with aluminum foil. (I had some issues with leakage, so I would caution you to place to pan on a foil-lined cookie sheet before putting it in the oven. There is nothing worse than burnt sugar in the bottom of the oven!)

-Place a tine can filled with dried beans in the centre. I also lined this with foil and sprayed it.

-Preheat oven to 350°F.

-Beat butter with sugar and vanilla.

-Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition.

-Combine dry ingredients. Add to egg mixture alternately with sour cream (3 additions dry, 2 additions sour cream).

-Add pecan topping to bottom of greased pan. Pour batter over top and spread out.

-Bake for 50 - 60 minutes. Let cool in pan for 30 minutes. Turn out onto cake pan, replacing any nuts stuck to the pan.

#64) German Chocolate Chewies

I know, I know... The topping on these suckers looks less than appetizing, BUT it sure does taste good!

These little things were made as a treat for a cousin of mind who has a sweet tooth just as big as mine :) They are quite similar to one of my favorite cakes, German Chocolate Cake, but the bite-sized version is even better. The brownie cookie is great on its own, with a chewy texture and chocolately flavour, but the gooey crunchy topping adds a great new twist!

Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2/3 cup shortening
1 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
2 cups chocolate chips (I used semi-sweet and milk)

Steps

-Preheat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-Beat together brown sugar, shortening, water, and vanilla. Add eggs. Beat well.
-Combine flour, cocoa, salt, and baking soda. Add to shortening mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
-Drop by rounded tablespoonful and bake for 7-9 minutes.
-Cool completely.

German Topping

Ingredients

1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/8 cup shortening
1/8 cup butter
2 egg yolks
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Steps

-Combine evaporated milk, sugar, shortening, butter, and egg yolks in a saucepan. Stir over medium heat until thickened.
-Remove from heat. Add vanilla, coconut, and pecans. Cool completely.
-Frost cookies.

*Makes 3 dozen cookies.

#63) Caramel Cocoa Cakes

OMG! These things are amazing! Not to toot my own horn, but wow! I came home to visit the fam yesterday so of course my brother was immediately asking for Peanut Butter Balls, but you know me, I always want to try something new :) So he said if I could get caramel inside a chocolate cupcake he would love me... He obviously doesn't realize just how easy this is! :) And what goes best with chocolate cupcakes then chocolate ganache???

Cocoa Cupcakes

Ingredients

1/2 cup cocoa
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup warm water
3/4 cup buttermilk
3 tbsp oil
1 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with papers.
-Sift together cocoa, flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
-Add eggs, warm water, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Mix until smooth.
-Divide into muffin tins (about 18).
-Bake for 20 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time.

Caramel

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Steps

-Bring sugar and water to a boil over medium heat. Whisk until crystals are dissolved.
-Boil syrup until an amber colour begins to take form.
-Add butter. Whisk.
-Remove from heat and count to five. Add milk slowly, whisking.
-Let cool for at least one hour.

Ganache

Ingredients

1 cup chocolate
3/4 cup heaving whipping cream
2 tbsp butter

Steps

-Put chocolate in steel bowl.
-Heat cream and butter over medium heat.
-Pour hot cream mixture over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
-Stir until smooth.

Assembly

-Using a serrated knife at an angel, cut a cone out of the top of each cooled cupcake.
-Fill the hole with cool caramel and ganache.
-Replace cone.
-Top with ganache.

#62) Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies

Hey everyone!!! I made it home to my parents' for a quick weekend visit, so of course, the first thing I done was whip up a chocolate and peanut butter treat for my brother. I was having a super bad craving for peanut butter cookies so I figured the best way to make brother happy was to squeeze some chocolate in the middle - GOOD IDEA :) The cookies are surprisingly chewy and the ganache, my first attempt, is addictive. I had some extra ganache left over so my dad is using it as a dip for the sandwiches because he said we didn't put enough in the middle LOL. Let me know what you think!

I head back to my summer living accommodations later today so I probably won't be back for a while, but keep me in mind later the summer :)

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
Pinch of cloves
1 stick butter, room temp
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp molasses
2 eggs
1/4 cup sugar, for rolling

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
-Sift together flour, baking soda, and cloves.
-Cream butter. Beat in penaut butter. Add sugar and molasses. Beat for 1 minute.
-Add eggs and beat until incorporated.
-Add dry ingredients and stir until combined. The dough with be somewhat "mushy" but you can still mold it in your hands.
-Roll 1/2 tbsp measures of the dough into balls, roll in sugar and place on baking sheet.
-Criss-cross with a fork.
-Bake for 8-9 minutes. Let cool completely.

Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp butter
1 cup + 2 tbsp chocolate, chopped (I used milk chocolate, but I think dark would have been a better match)

Steps

-Put chocolate in a steel bowl.
-Bring cream and butter to a boil. Pour over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes.
-Stir until smooth.
-Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Sandwich Assembly

-Put ganache in a piping bag and pipe a swirl in the back of a cookie (they should be matched by size) and press the second cookie in top.
-Refrigerate until firm.

#61) PB Brownie Bars

Ok, I have a couple of apologies to make:

1) I am sorry to those of you who have come here looking for those super-duper healthy sweet treats I keep promising to experiment, but the baking demands of my brother always include chocolate and peanut butter, and although I use light pb, it still isn't very healthy... I am sorry if you feel misled :(

2) Apology #2 is for my future actions - or lack thereof... I am heading back to university for the summer, but there is a considerable amount of moving involved for an extra bout of teaching practice and classes so I will not have my "own" kitchen for quite some time... Although I will try my best to get some sweet treats up here for all my lovers - I can't make any promises :(

Now that that's over on to better and chocolate-ier things :)

This bar is a new take on my brother's favorite treat - Peanut Butter Balls. The brownie bottom is, I hear, excellent, seeing as it isn't "safe" for me... and the peanut butter looks so ooey, gooey that it must be amazing :) Please give 'em a try and let me know what you think!

Brownie Bottom

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup chocolate (I used milk)
1 1/2 cups sugar
Dash salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 cup flour
2 tbsp cocoa

Steps
-Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 9x9 pyrex dish with foil and spray.
-Melt butter and chocolate together. Let cool slightly.
-Add sugar, salt, and vanilla. Mix until incorporated.
-Beat in eggs one at a time.
-Mix in flour and cocoa just until combined.
-Turn into dish and bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating halfway through.

Peanut Butter Filling

Ingredients
1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup icing sugar
Dash salt
1 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla

Step
-Beat together until well combined.

Chocolate Topping

Ingredients
1 cup chocolate (I used milk)
1/4 cup butter

Steps
-Melt together.
-Pour over cooled brownies and chill for at least 2 hours.

#60) Cinnamon Bun-fins (& Joy)

So have you all heard that Adopt-a-Blogger is back for round three?!?!?! And this time around I'm having a go at it - as a newbie, of course :)

As part of Adopt-a-Blogger I have to introduce you all to my mentor, although she needs no introduction at all - Ms. Joy the Baker!!! I am sure most, if not all, of you are already familiar with this kitchen crusader - I have been following her since the day I started my blog :) Her recipes are fantastic, but what I enjoy most about Joy's posts are her whimsical ramblings that never fail to make me laugh out loud! Check her out if haven't already.

To best introduce, no, to best praise Joy I had a go at one of her recipes I have been eying for quite some time - Easy Cinnamon Roll Muffins. They are fabulous! And not to mention, easy as could be! The only big thing I changed was regular milk to soy milk, and it worked fine, so make your own and enjoy licking your fingers :)

Bread Base
Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tsp yeast
2/3 cup warm (soy) milk
3 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Steps
-Stir together dry ingredients.
-Stir yeast into warm milk.
-Add the milk mixture, oil, vanilla, and egg to dry mixture. Stir until smooth.
-Place in greased bowl and let sit for 15 minutes.
-Make cinnamon topping (below).
-Divide bread base between 12 greased muffin cups. Add topping. Place into cold oven and set temperature to 350°F. Bake for 20 minutes.
*If any of the cinnamon topping has spread onto the pan use a butter knife to sweep it back onto the buns before they cool.

Cinnamon Topping
Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2/3 cup brown sugar (I only had white on hand so I added about 1 tsp molasses)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch allspice
*I had loads left over so if you want to half this part go ahead.

Steps

-Mix all ingredients together until well incorporated.

Frosting
Ingredients

1 cup icing sugar
1-2 tbsp (soy) milk

Steps

-Add milk by half teaspoon measure until desired consistency is reached.
-Pipe onto warm buns with plastic bag.

*Make sure you lick you fingers clean :)

#59) Peanut Butter Cups

On my way back to campus for the summer I have stopped in with my family for a week or so.... and this means I have been put back on "real" baking duty. My family, especially my brother, loves sweets!!! In my brother's case - if it is chocolate and peanut butter it is as good as gold.... So for my first family treat I made homemade peanut butter cups. These treats are so much better than the ones you buy in the store! I find the store ones have a filling that is way toooooooo dry so I make my own nice and creamy! Other than that chocolate on the outside these actually fit nicely into my new eating rules so i left a few uncovered LOL. When I made these suckers I only had a dozen muffin liners on hand, so once they were filled I added some rice crispies to the peanut butter mixture and melted some extra chocolate - voila! peanut butter balls... Needless to say my brother was a very happy boy this day :)

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups chopped chocolate (I used milk chocolate)
1 cup + 4 tbsp peanut butter, divided
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Steps

-Melt chocolate in double boiler. Add 4 tbsp peanut butter. Let cool slightly.
-Add a tsp of melted chocolate to the bottom of each muffin liner. Let harden in fridge.
-Shape peanut butter mixture into patties and place on top of hardened chocolate. Cover entirely in additionally melted chocolate. Let harden in fridge.

*These are best stored in the fridge... they get too soft otherwise.

#58) Chewy Ginger Cookies

So the in-laws came to town yesterday :) I can't remember the last time I seen my fiance so excited - he gets to see his parents, and his brother and nephew :) In order to make him even happier I gave in to his constant beggings for "real" cookies - with butter and eggs LOL

I am confident these little treats were a good choice because between him and his dad the whole batch is pretty much gone! When they came out of the oven the outside had a great crunch to it while the inside was warm and chewy... As they cooled the outside lost the crunch and they are now a truly chewy cookie.

Ingredients

1/3 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Steps

-Beat butter for 30 seconds.
-Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger and cinnamon. Beat.
-Beat in egg and molasses.
-Beat in flour.
-Chill dough for 1 hour.
-Roll into tablespoon balls and roll in sugar and cinnamon mixture.
-Bake at 350°F for 10 minutes, until tops are cracked.

#57) Hawaiian Drops

This, boys and girls, is my new baking reality - no dairy, no fat, no yolk.... BUT, please don't feel bad for me because these cookies were awesome!!! Jam-packed with pineapple and raisins, the texture was soft and chewy, and with combo of brown sugar, honey, and maple syrup, the flavour had many layers and left me wanting more every time I took a bite.... I have to say, these new restrictions don't seem to be too hard to deal with, my only issue is the change in the texture of my sweet treats, but I am sure I will get used to that... And better yet, now my treats are healthier so I can eat more of 'em, right? :)

Ingredients

1/4 cup flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 egg whites
1/4 cup applesauce
3 tbsp maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup pineapple, crushed with juice

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and grease or line a cookie sheet.
-Mix together dry ingredients. Set aside.
-Beat egg whites to stiff peaks. Add applesauce, syrup, and honey. Mix well.
-Stir in raisins and pineapple.
-Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and let sit for 10 minutes.
-Spoon onto sheet by tablespoonful and bake for 20 minutes.
-Let cool on wire rack.

#56) Double Chocolate Chippers

I know, I know, this recipe doesn't fit in at all with my new diet restrictions - but, they aren't for me. They are actually for my students. I finished up my internship a couple of weeks ago and leave to head back to campus shortly so I wanted to bring them one last treat before I leave town.

Making these cookies was fun because my fiance decided to help out. I am not sure if I have ever mentioned here just how cute my man is - he is romantic, cuddly, funny, and sweet, but one thing he is not is "kitchen-inclined." That aside, he started creaming the butter and sugar, well, more like whipped, and then he beat in those eggs, again, more like whipped... When it came time spoon out the dough it was obvious the consistency was not right - baking it like it was would have given me some sort of meringue crossbreed - interesting, but not what I was looking for. So we added in more flour and cocoa and hoped for the best...

And better they were! These cookies have a very cocoa-y flavour and the texture is spot on. A somewhat cakey cookies with slightly crunchy edges. Although the maple flavour of the syrup doesn't come through as I had hoped they are still very satisfying cookies! (Now only if they fit into my new diet LOL... Hmm... maybe I will play with it a bit and see what I come up with.)

Thanks for your help babe <3

Ingredients

1 cup cake flour
2 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 eggs
2 cups chocolate chips

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-In a small bowl, combine flours, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
-In a large bowl, combine butter, sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup; beat until creamy.
-Beat in eggs to butter mixture, one at a time.
-Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture. (I add it in thirds)
-Stir in chocolate chips.
-Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
-Bake for 8-10 minutes.

#55) No-Fat Banana Muffins

So a recent visit to the doctor ended in me being told I have a difficult-to-manage digestive issue... Well, that sounds fun! And when he said "difficult-to-manage" he wasn't joking: no dairy, no red meat, no egg yolk, less sugar, less fat, no alcohol, no carbonated beverages, minimal raw fruits and veggies... I will stop there as not to bore you. Based on that you can imagine the difficulty I am having in the kitchen, both with cooking and baking. I have a pretty good handle on the cooking side of things, finding new ways to dress up chicken and potatoes, but I am still struggling with the baking - I mean really, no butter and no egg yolks?!?!?!
This recipe is my first attempt at something safe for me, and I gotta say I wasn't super pleased, but wasn't super disappointed either. The muffins have a toughness to them, but it is almost forgiven due to the intense banana flavour.... You be the judge!

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 egg whites
2 mashed bananas
1/4 applesauce, unsweetened

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and line 12 muffin cups.
-Stir together dry ingredients.
-In another bowl, mix together wet ingredients. I left some small chunks of banana in my mixture and it was very nice in the end product.
-Add wet ingredients to dry mixture and stir just until combined.
-Divide between 12 muffins cups.
-Bake for 20-25 minutes.

#54) Mini Bakeapple Lava Cakes

We are invited out for Easter dinner today so, as usual, I took on the role of "dessert maker." The friend hosting dinner is the very same friend who recently gave me some bakeapples. I thought it only appropriate to make a divine dessert with these tart berries for the evening. I wanted to do a simple cake, nothing too fancy, because I am still in the experimenting stages with bakeapples and do not want to pair it with the wrong flavours. (As I have mentioned before, there are virtually no recipes written for bakeapples so it is all experimentation for me!). Then I thought, wouldn't it be cute to give everyone their very own dessert? Of course! So I divided the batter into my jumbo muffin pan and got these adorable little cakes. Slice them in half, pack some berry filling, and presto - individual desserts! I know many of your do not have access to bakeapples, or even know what they are, but I can tell you that this sponge cake paired with a raspberry or blueberry filling would be amazing! Play with it :)

Happy Easter!!!

Sponge Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp sugar
3 eggs, room temperature (beaten)
3/4 cup + 2 tbsp flour

Steps

-Cream butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl until the mixture is pale in colour and light and fluffy.
-Add beaten eggs, a teaspoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
-Sift flour and salt and carefully add to the mixture, folding in with a metal spoon or spatula.
-Bake in greased pan(s) for 25-30 minutes, until golden and pulling away from sides.
-Let cool completely, cut in half (if applicable), and add filling*.
-Dust with icing/caster sugar.

*Berry Filling

Ingredients

2 cups raspberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1.5 tbsp cornstarch

Steps

-Bring berries and 1/3 cup water to a boil. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
-Strain the berry mixture and return to heat.
-Add cornstarch to remaining water. Whisk into berry mixture.
-Add sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer for 8-10 minutes.
-Cool completely.

#53) Salted Peanut Butter Cookies

These little treats will be taken to a class get-together for an evening class I teach. We will be hanging out with another class doing a more advanced course. Last time around I made the Banana Bites with Cinnamoney Frosting, but this time I was more in the mood for a cookie (that mood has been around for a while now if you haven't notice :p). These cookies lend themselves well to variations - creamy or smooth peanut butter, chocolate chips, and in my case, coarse salt. I tried adding the salt a couple of ways - over top of the dough before they were baked, and then on the freshly baked cookies. I like the second way better :) The salt adds another level to the cookies but doesn't overpower the nutty pb taste.

Ingredients

1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 egg
Coarse salt for sprinkling

Steps

-Line a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 350°F
-Sift together dry ingredients and set aside.
-Cream together peanut butter, butter, and sugars. Add milk and egg. Beat well.
-Add dry ingredients in fourths. Do not overbeat.
-Drop onto lined cookie sheet by tablespoonful. Sprinkle with coarse salt.
-Bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden.
-Let cool on wire rack.

#52) Carrot Muffins & CC Frosting

This recipe was actually one of the first I posted here on Sweet Treats. Since the first time I used this recipe I have never used another... I have played with this one to get it right where I want it and doubt I will ever stray from it. It is rich, heavy enough, and packed with carrot, raisins, and pineapple. This time I decided to add some cream cheese frosting (well, I was more coerced to add cream cheese frosting bc fiance had a craving LOL). But I have to say I am more than happy with the outcome. Not a drop of oil or ounce of butter in the muffins means you can indulge in the creamy frosting, right?

Carrot Muffin
Ingredients

1 1/2 cup flour
1 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup raisins
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 tbsp applesauce
2 large eggs
3 cups grated carrot
1 cup canned crushed pineapple, drained (reserve juice and add by tsp if batter is too dry) *I added 2 this time, but it varies

Steps

-Sift together dry ingredients. Set aside.
-Add the pineapple, carrot, eggs, and applesauce to another bowl. Mix until combined.
-Add dry ingredients in thirds, mixing until incorporated after each addition.
-Pour into muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

**I made 1 dozen regular muffins and 3 jumbos :)

Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

1 pk light cream cheese
1/2 cup butter
1 cup icing sugar

Steps

-Beat together cream cheese and butter.
-Add icing sugar gradually.
-Beat to a thick consistency.
-Spread on cupcakes and lick the bowl :)

#51) Bakeapple Blossoms

Click here for an update on this recipe :) - June 3rd, 2016.



I know, I've been away a while, eh? Well, with finishing up my internship and last weekend's wedding show get-away, I haven't spent that much time in the kitchen. But with yesterday being the last day of my internship I thought maybe I should bring in some treats as a thank you to the staff. I didn't want to make anything too fancy because I didn't have a lot of time, so I decided to make some scratch shortbread. But that wasn't enough - they needed something more. So I took out a bag of bakeapples given to me by a good friend and made some of my no-fail berry cake filling, sieved out the seeds, and poured in into indentations in the shortbread. The result was exactly what I was going for - a simple treat with a interesting twist. They were huge hit and will stay in my back pocket now as a go-to recipe :) The cake filling can be replaced with any fruity preserve you like, but if you have access to bakeapples I would give 'em a try!!!

Bakeapple Cake Filling

Ingredients

1 cup bakeapples
1/4 cup water
7 tbsp sugar (adjust according to the tartness of your berries)
2 tsp corn starch

Steps

-Boil berries with 3/4 of the water. Simmer for 3-5 minutes.
-Push the cooked berries through a fine sieve, discarding the seeds.
-Whisk corn starch into remaining water. Add cornstarch mixture and sugar to berries.
-Cook for another 2-3 minutes. Let cool completely.

Shortbread Cookies
Ingredients

1 1/8 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour

Steps

- Combine butter, sugar and extract in mixer bowl and beat until creamy.
- Add the flour, scraping often until well mixed.
- Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Work together with hands upon removing from refrigerator.
- Heat oven to 350°F.
- Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place them on silpat or parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Use a tsp measure to make an indentation in the center of each cookie.
- Fill the indentation with a small dollop of your fruit filling.
- Bake for 14 - 18 minutes, or until edges are lightly browned.
- Place cookies in wire rack and cool completely.

#50) Cocoa Nana Cookies

Wow! My 50th post :) Seems like I should have tried out a more intricate recipe for this blogging landmark, but cookies it is!

At school we are taking our homeroom skiing on Thursday. They are very excited and asked for me to bring in something sweet. One student in particular asked for my Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies. I said yes, but once I got to making them I decided they needed something new, their own identity.... And now we have a chocolaty banana cookie filled with chocolate chips...

They are much better than the originals in my opinion, but you be the judge :)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
2 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp baking soda (next time I will lessen this to about 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar (remove or crush any large chunks)
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
2 cups chocolate chips

Steps

-Spray cookie sheet (or line with rubber mat) and preheat oven to 350°F.
-Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Set aside.
-Stir together dry ingredients. In three additions, stir the dry mixture into the banana mixture.
-Stir in chocolate chips.
-Drop by tablespoonful onto pan.
-Bake for 7-10 minutes.

*Makes about 60 cookies!

#49) Chocolate Orange Crunchies

These little guys were an after-thought, really. I was in the kitchen waiting and waiting for my Mega-Orange Muffins to come out of the oven, and all the while I was getting more and more enticed by the citrus aroma filling the room. I got to thinking - what can I do next with some orange zest? Well, chocolate goes great with orange, but I wasn't in the mood for a cupcake or cookie... I wanted 100% chocolate. But, I couldn't make candy with just chocolate and orange zest? Well, really I could have (chocoholic, remember?!?!), but I thought it would be better to load it up with some crunchy extras!

Ingredients

2 cups chocolate chips (good quality)
zest of one very large orange
1 cup toasted almonds, chopped
1 cup coconut, toasted

Steps

-Melt chocolate.
-Stir in zest.
-Add almonds and coconut. Let cool slightly.
-Drop by tablespoonful onto parchment paper until hard.
-Eat, crunch, and be merry :)

#48) Mega-Orange Muffins

These giant muffins were quite a surprise when I took the first bite!!! I never imagined the orange flavour would be as prominent as it was and the texture was simply perfect. The orange flavour can be attributed to the orange juice and more so to the amount of zest included. The texture can be credited to the use of cake flour and the addition of whipped egg whites. Although I love these muffins as is, next time I am planning on adding some orange jam to the middle before baking :)

Ingredients

2 egg whites
1 3/4 cups cake flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup orange juice
zest of one large orange (my orange was the size of a softball!)

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a jumbo muffin pan.
-Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form.
-Whisk together dry ingredients. Add oil and juice. Mix until combined.
-Gently fold in egg whites.
-Divide between muffin wells and bake for 20 minutes.

#47) Minty Midnight Bars

I have mentioned before my uncontrollable craving for brownies, and this past week has been no exception. I guess knowing that I am off the whole week for March break has convinced my baking conscience that I can spend all day in the kitchen whipping up sinful treats... Too bad my hips don't have a conscience :)

Anyway, back to the bars - they have a surprisingly chewy brownie base covered with a minty buttercream, then the whole thing in encased by a delicious chocolate shell.

I used food colouring in the buttercream to highlight its minty flavour (from extract), but next time I want to leave it white and use fresh chopped mint. I know that sounds like a mild request, but in Goose Bay finding any fresh herb is a challenge, never mind one like mint HaHa.

I know, I have gabbed enough. Here is the recipe!

Brownie Base

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup flour
2/3 cup cocoa
1/4 tsp baking powder

Steps

-Grease 8x8 dish. Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Melt butter. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix well.
-Add eggs and beat until mixed well.
-Add dry ingredients and beat just until blended.
-Pour into prepared dish and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
-Let cool in pan completely.


Minty Buttercream

Ingredients

1 1/3 cups icing sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tbsp water
3 tsp mint extract
4 drops green food colouring

Steps

-Cream together all ingredients until smooth.
-Spread over cooled brownies.
-Refrigerate until cold and set.


Chocolate Shell
Ingredients

4 tbsp butter
1 cup chocolate chips

Steps

-Melt together in double boiler.
-Let cool slightly.
-Pour over frosted brownies.
-Refrigerate until chocolate hardens (about 1.5 hours).
-Cut in squares and enjoy :)

#46) Banana Bites & Cinnamoney

I made these mini cupcakes a few days ago in a bit of a rush. I was attending a get-together and had procrastinated on making something to bring along. Then I found a bag of frozen ripe banana in the freezer and these wonderfully coloured mini liners in the cupboard - it was like fate! Okay, maybe not fate, but a very strong suggestion.

They were quite a hit and I would definitely use this recipe again, but next time I might dress it up with some chocolate chips or raisins!

Banana Cupcakes

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup melted butter
1 1/2 cups mashed banana
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Sift together dry ingredients. Make a well in middle.
-Add wet ingredients and hand mix just until blended.
-Divide amongst liners and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cinnamoney Frosting

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups icing sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp cinnamon

Steps

-Add all ingredients to one bowl and mix until smooth and of spreading/piping consistency.
-Dress up cooled cupcakes :)

#45) Chocolate Chippies 3 Ways

You know, I love being in the kitchen trying out new recipes. There is always something exciting about baking the unknown... a sense of anticipation. That being said, I still have some recipes I love dearly, but as mentioned in a previous post, because baking time is precious I want to always do something new and interesting. For that purpose I have started re-inventing some old favorites (see my Minty Brownie Drops).

I know everyone must have that special chocolate chip cookie recipe hidden away in that drawer in the kitchen - oh you know what drawer I mean!!! To make mine a bit more interesting today I decided to make the basic dough and divide between three bowls. Each bowl turned into a new and exciting sweet treats :)

Basic Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

2 1/4 cups + 2 tbsp flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Cream sugar, vanilla, and butter. Add eggs. Beat well.
-Sift together dry ingredients and add in fourths to butter mixture.
-Divide between three bowls.

Variation #1 - Old Faithful

Milk chocolate chips

Variation #2 - Chocolate Orange

Milk chocolate chips
Zest of one large orange

Variation #3 - Cinnamon Swirl

Milk and white chocolate swirled chocolate chips
2 tsp cinnamon

-Spoon onto baking sheet with a tablespoon and bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack :)

Another Award :)

Thanks to Maria over in The Goddess's Kitchen I can add another award to my new collection - the Adoralbe Blog Award...



In Maria's words:

"I visit many adorable and cute blogs that are filled with bright colours, innovative and inspiring pictures and best of all absolutely delicious food, which inspire me daily! I would like to thank all of you who visit my blog and leave such encouraging comments. Passing on this award is my thanks to you and your friendship."

When I sat down and considered all the blogs I visit on a daily basis I simply could not choose a handful that fit this criteria... They are all too wonderful. So instead of choosing a list of adoralbe blogs to pass this award on I will pass it on to one of the most inspiring blogs I follow, one with great photography and wonderful narratives...

Hélène of Tartelette

Please:

- include the award logo in your blog or post
- nominate as many blogs which show adorability, cuteness and charm
- be sure to link to your nominee(s) within your post.
- let them know that they have received this award by commenting on their blog
- share the love and link to this post and to the person from whom you received your award.

#44) Fudgey Brownies

As much as I love cookies, cakes, and cupcakes, brownies are my true favorite - the fudgier the better :)

It is a well known fact I am a true chocoholic, and these rich and chewy brownies are like heaven on a plate. Made with decadent 70% cocoa chocolate the flavour is divine, and the reduced amount of flour allows the batter to bake into a chewy, fudgey brownie that will stick to your teeth! YUMMY!

Ingredients

1 cup 70% cocoa chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp butter, cut into pieces
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp flour

Steps

- Line a 9" baking dish with foil and spray with oil. Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Melt chocolate and butter in double boiler. Set aside.
- Beat eggs, sugar, salt, and vanilla until pale in color (2 minutes). Whisk in chocolate mixture.
- Fold in flour, mixing as little as possible. Pour into prepared pan.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick comes out of the centre with a small amount of sticky batter on it.

*Any brownie is better with a scoop of ice cream and caramel sauce :)



PS - Don't forget to vote for my Caramel Macchiato Cuppas here! Thanks :)

Cookie Recipe Contest

Over at Mixing Bowl there is this great little contest for original cookie recipes. I have entered my Cranberry & White Chocolate Chippers, so if you like the recipe please click here to vote for them :) Thanks!

#43) Minty Brownie Drops

Since I started this blog I have tried dozens of new recipes.... leaving some old favorites behind. I guess with precious time to spare in the kitchen I find repeating recipes boring.

However, today I had an undeniable craving for my minty brownies, but did not want to spend my baking time with an already-accomplished recipe. So, I took that brownie recipe and tweaked it to come up with a matching cookie recipe.

And the result? Well let's just say I am home alone, and the cookies are almost gone :)

Ingredients

2/3 cup shortening
1 1/3 cups brown sugar (I used dark but light would be fine)
1 tbsp water
1 tsp mint extract
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 cup chocolate chips (I would have used mint chips if I had had any)

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F.
-Cream shortening, sugar, water, and extract. Add eggs. Beat well.
-Stir together dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture in three additions. Mix well.
-Stir in chips.
-Drop by tablespoonful onto lined baking sheet (I used a silicone sheet, but parchment paper would do).
-Bake for 10 minutes.
-Let cool on wire rack.

My First Blog Awards!

I received a couple of awards from Liesl quite some time ago, and it the rush of life, forgot to post about it....



This "lemonade award" was for being a refreshing blog...



And this one for being downright fabulous :)

I want to pass these on to some of my favorite blogs:

Joy the Baker
How to Eat a Cupcake
Dine and Dish
Rosie
the chocolate and peanut butter gallery

Please:
Add the awards to your blog.
Link to the person who gave you them.
Nominate other refreshingly fabulous blogs you love (with their links).
Leave a message for your nominees in their blogs, informing them about the award.

Caramel Macchiato "Cuppas"

Entry #2 folks!!! This month's theme is coffee, and judging by the submissions to date, it is going to be one tough competition :)

Our February ETSY PRIZE-PACK is from artists:

DIANAEVANS - http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5599270
as well as a pair of cupcake earrings from LOTS OF SPRINKLES at http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6057281.
PLUS, IronCupcake:Earth can not forget our good friend, CAKESPY, http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5243382, who is now going to be doing a piece for our winner each month until further notice - sweet!
As an added bonus for February, SWEET CUPPIN CAKES BAKERY AND CUPCAKERY SUPPLY will be tossing in a variety of cupcaking supplies, http://www.acupcakery.com/index.html.

Last and certainly not least, don’t forget our corporate prize providers: HEAD CHEFS by FIESTA PRODUCTS, http://www.fiestaproducts.com, HELLO CUPCAKE by Karen Tack and Alan Richardson, http://blog.hellocupcakebook.com, JESSIE STEELE APRONS http://www.jessiesteele.com; TASTE OF HOME books, http://www.tasteofhome.com; a t-shirt from UPWITHCUPCAKES.COM http://www.upwithcupcakes.com/. Iron Cupcake:Earth is sponsored in part by 1-800-Flowers, http://www.1800flowers.com .

I decided to put a cupcake spin on one of my favorite caffinated drinks - the Caramel Macchiato from Coffee Matters in St. John's NL. This comforting drink has the perfect blend of strong coffe and sweet caramel!

My cupcake starts with a coffee cupcake base, and when I say "coffee" I mean strong coffee - a good jolt to start off the day with. Inside there is a gooey centre drenched in homemade caramel sauce - a nice way to cut the good-but-bitter bite of the coffee. A nice swirl of sweet and smooth buttercream tops it all off - just for that sweet tooth.



Coffee Cupcake

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
4 1/2 tbsp instant coffee granules
3/4 cup water

Steps

- Preheat oven to 360°F and line 12 muffin cups with papers.
- Cream butter and sugar together. Add vanilla. Mix. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Add dry ingredients, including coffee, and mix well. Mixture will be slightly dry.
- Add water 1/4 cup at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Divide between the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes. Let cool.

Caramel Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp butter (real butter, margarine will not taste right)
1/2 cup evaporated milk

Steps

- Put sugar and water in a deep sauce pan. Heat over med heat. Whisk until crystals are dissolved.
- Allow syrup to boil at the same temp for several minutes until an amber color begins to show. Add butter and whisk until melted. Remove from heat and count to five.
- Add milk slowly, whisking constantly. The mixture will bubble so be careful!
- Let cool slightly then transfer to a mason jar to cool overnight.
- Keep refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

Buttercream

I used the leftover icing form my Valentine's cake, found here.

Assembly

- Let cupcakes cool til slightly above room temp.
- Transfer caramel to a squirt bottle. Poke tip of bottle into tops of cupcakes and squeeze. The caramel will soak into the cake, giving you the gooey centre, so let them sit and top the holes up several times before icing.
- Pipe buttercream onto filled cupcakes.
- Eat and lick your fingers :)

#42) Chocolate Heart Cake

Well guys, it's almost love day <3

We had an awesome activity at school today for the kids to kick off the love-fest that is Valentine's Day - a cake auction!!!!

Now, I am a cake lover, and I do not discriminate, BUT scratch cakes are the best, and when they are chocolate they are even better - so what better kind to offer up to the cake auction gods than a dark, rich, and moist chocolate cake????

I know the decorating leaves much to be desired, but I am only learning (this is only the 2nd cake I have ever decorated). Please send me along any tips or hints to make it easier or prettier :)

Chocolate Cake

Ingredients

3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
1 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp strong coffee
1 3/4 cup flour
1 cup cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and grease and flour your pan.
-Cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, yogurt, and coffee.
-Sift together dry ingredients. Add to wet ingredients in three additions, mixing well after each addition. (Try not to lick the spoon yet!!!)
-Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes.
-Let cool completely before frosting.

Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups icing sugar
2 tbsp milk

Steps

-Cream shortening and butter together. Add vanilla. Mix.
-Add icing sugar in several additions, mixing well after each addition.
-Mix in milk.
-Decorate :)

#41) Cranberry & White Chocolate Chippers

So this past Sunday was an interesting day for me...

Since moving back to Labrador again for the winter I decided I was going to make a good effort to enjoy some of the outdoor life the Big Land has to offer. This "good effort" led to my first foray into cross-country skiing ever!!! What a wonderful day the fiance and I had. It was SO fun, even when I was lying on my butt in the middle of the trail LOL!

The local ski club, which offers amazing trails with beautiful views, is volunteer run, so to pitch in I decided it would be a good idea to bring some cookies by for all the skiers to snack on... and a little birdie told me they were very good :)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped fresh cranberries

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F. I used a silicone baking sheet, but if you don't have one, grease your pan.

-Cream butter and sugar. Add egg and vanilla. Mix well.

-Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to butter mixture in several additions. The dough will be slightly crumbly.

-Stir in chips and cranberries.

-Drop onto pan by tablespoonfuls and bake for 20 minutes. Makes about 4 dozen cookies.

Iron CupcakeEarth Voting

The time has come everyone - the voting has opened for this month's ICE challenge. Here is a quick recap of my entry:

The theme ingredient was wine, so I decided a light champagne-infused cupcake would be a good place to start. I paired that with a bit of bakeapple syrup, but could not decide on a good frosting.... Then I got to thinking, what is delicate enough to pair with champagne, but rich enough to give the cupcake some weight - white chocolate!!! I added some booze to the frosting, just for good measure :)



Head on over to http://mkecupcakequeen.blogspot.com/ and cast your vote!

#40) Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

This will be the last installment of my banana bake-athon for a while. We all started to get tired of banana this and that after so many recipes LOL.

These cookies were made for my Grade 9 homeroom's pizza party this past Friday. The kids loved them and asked for more HaHa. They were relatively easy to make and have a great banana taste that is just right with a cup of hot tea :)

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups flour
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
3 mashed bananas
2 cups chocolate chips

Steps

-Spray cookie sheet and preheat oven to 350°F.
-Beat butter and sugar. Add eggs, bananas, and vanilla. Set aside.
-Stir together dry ingredients. In three additions, stir the dry mixture into the banana mixture.
-Stir in chocolate chips.
-Bake for 7-10 minutes.

#39) Homemade Granola Bars

Wow! I made these little guys about an hour ago and we have the pan pretty much half gone already!!!

I have been wanting to make my own granola bars for some time now, mainly because I work at a school where nuts are not permitted, and it is quite difficult to find nut-free bars. Also, with the homemade version I know exactly what I am eating, and it doesn't involve any strange chemicals or weird preservatives :)

I found some homemade recipes for granola bars that involved sugar, but I decided the corn syrup was sweet enough, but if you are looking for an even sweeter treat, I would add about 1/3 cup brown sugar. As for the add-ins, I plan on trying raisins and cinnamon, maple syrup and banana, oh the list goes on - be as creative as you can be!

Ingredients

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup rice crispies (I used the Christmas ones, hence the green and red LOL)
2/3 cup coconut
2/3 cup chocolate chips (I used half white and half milk chocolate)
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened (suggestions on how to lessen this amount?)
1/2 cup corn syrup (or honey if you prefer)
1 tsp vanilla

Steps (so simple!!!)

-Mix all ingredients together with your hands.
-Pour into a greased 9x13 pan and pat down.
-Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
-Let cool for 15 minutes before cutting into bars.

*Makes 16 bars

Printable Recipe :)

#38) Lemon Cranberry Muffins

I know the title says "muffins", but I gotta say, these little guys have a more cake-like texture. Thus, they are more of a cupcake than a muffin. But, despite the unintended texture, the taste is great - nice and lemony with a nice bite form the cranberries. Not bad for my first foray into the world of cranberries :)

Ingredients

2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup oil
1 cup chopped cranberries
zest of 1 large lemon

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners.
-Mix dry ingredients together.
-Beat eggs with milk, lemon juice, and oil. Stir into dry ingredients. Mix just until moistened.
-Add cranberries and zest and fold in.
-Divide batter between lined muffin cups.
-Bake for 20-25 minutes.

#37) Old Faithful Banana Loaf

This time-tested sweet treat is the continuation of my banana bake-off. I searched high and low for a "new" banana loaf recipe, bit not one seemed as reliable or as tasty as this one. Enjoy it with some butter, fruit sauce, or even peanut butter, and it always tastes good :) (It is pictured above with bakeapple syrup - what a combo!)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup mashed banana
2 cups flour
1/3 cup rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9x13 baking dish.
-Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, banana, and milk. Mix well.
-Stir together dry ingredients and add to banana mixture in three additions. Beat until combined.
-Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 30 minutes.

#36) Big Banana Crunch Muffins

One of the downsides to living in Labrador actually became a surprising plus today at the grocery store... The past week has been absurdly cold here, like -50°C - so cold that on Thursday and Friday the schools were closed!!! Now, how on Earth did this turn into a plus for me??? Well, fiance and me went grocery shopping today and as soon as we walked in the door there were these HUGE bags of bananas that were in terrible shape, pretty much black all over - they must have got hit with the cold on the way to the grocery store. Perfect for loads of banana recipes, right? Oh yeah, I was all over it! The best part is that these giant bags of recipe-ready bananas were only 99¢!!! Stay tuned for more banana baking :)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed banana
2 cups flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/4 cup crushed pecans

Steps

-Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a jumbo muffin pan.
-Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
-Add banana and beat well.
-Stir together dry ingredients. Add to banana mixture in three additions.
-Stir in chocolate chips and pecans.
-Divide between 6 jumbo muffin cups.
-Bake for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.