I scream, YOU scream

well hello out there
it's been quite awhile since I've posted
anything on this little blog...
life just got really busy
and it still is really busy, but in the midst
of traveling, buying a house and moving for
the upteenth time-not to mention enjoying
the beautiful summer's Michigan has to offer
I tried out a new ice cream recipe
because if anyone knows me they know
I pretty much love ice cream, with all my heart

Homemade Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

Ingredients:

2 Cups Heavy Cream
1 Cup Whole Milk
12-15 Large fresh mint sprigs, coarsely torn
7 Large egg yolks
3/4 Cup sugar
3 Oz. Semi-sweet chocolate
3 drops green food coloring



Directions:

1. In a medium-heavy saucepan, bring cream and milk to a boil. Remove from heat. Add mint sprigs, cover pot, and allow to steep 30 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until thick and pale. Add a few tablespoons of warm milk mixture to egg mixture, whisking vigorously. Once combined, add egg mixture back into milk mixture, whisking continuously.

3. Return to saucepan; cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly until custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (a mark should remain when you can run your finger down the spoon). Now is a great time to add a few drops of green food coloring, this step is completely optional.

4. Take custard (mint sprigs and all) and cover and refigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. (To quicken chilling time, place glass bowl in a larger bowl filled with ice water until custard thickens slightly and is completely cool to touch).

5. Freeze custard according to ice cream maker instructions. To make chocolate chips, take 3 one oz squares of semi-sweet chocolate and melt in microwave for 30 seconds on half power. Stir and repeat until chocolate is smooth and completely melted. When ice cream has about 5 minutes left and you hear your machine slowing down, take chocolate mixture and gradually pour into ice cream. The heat of the chocolate mixed into the frozen ice cream will create chocolate shavings, or chocolate chips.

Serve immediately or for best results transfer to airtight container and freeze up to 1 day. Before serving remove from freezer to soften. Recipe adapted from Delish.com

you may not want to share,

but trust me, kids of all ages will

love this homemade ice cream.



Easter Brunch

i know it's been awhile since my last post

but to make up for it i have something

to share with you that you'll love me for

this amazing, mouthwatering, delicious recipe

was first introduced to me by my friend at breakfast club

please check out her blog, you'll love her.

if you're in need of a fantastic brunch recipe for

Easter morning, this is it people. 

Whole Wheat Waffles

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 C. milk

2 Tbsp. butter (melted)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1 egg

1/4 C. oil

Mix together with whisk. May double or triple recipe.

Delicious Creamy Syrup

1 C. buttermilk (or 1 C. milk and 1 tsp. vinegar)

1 C. sugar

1 C. butter, melted

2 Tbsp. corn syrup

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

Bring to a boil over stove, then simmer for a few minutes.

*when making one single serving of the waffle recipe for my family of 4 (2 adults, 2 children) i always half the syrup recipe.

You must make these two together, then cover your waffles in fresh strawberries. Trust me. It's the best combination you'll ever put in your mouth.




Happy Easter

something special for the one you LOVE

Valentine's is all about the sweet stuff
and if you really want to
knock the socks off your sweetie
than prepare this little baby the
night before Valentine's Day...
and it will guarantee to set
the night in that lovey dovey feeling

recipe via Lion House

cheesecake

   crust
     1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs, rolled fine
       3 tbsp. sugar
       6 tbsp. butter

  Thoroughly mix ingredients. press firmly onto bottom and sides of a 9 or 10 in. spring form pan. set aside. make filling.


  filling
                 3 packages (8 ounces each) softened cream cheese
       1 cup sugar
       3 eggs
       3/4 tsp. vanilla
       2 tsp. lemon juice

  Beat cream cheese well; add sugar a little at a time. add eggs one at a time, then vanilla. combine thoroughly. pour into crust; fill to within half an inch of top to allow room for topping. bake at 300 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.


   topping
      1 pint sour cream
        3 tbsp. sugar
        1/2 tsp. vanilla

  Whip sour cream. add sugar gradually, then vanilla. pour over cake and bake at 300 degrees for 10 minutes. cool completely. refrigerate until ready to serve.


  Raspberry topping
       1 pint raspberries
          1/4 cup sugar
          2 teaspoons lemon juice
     

  Put all ingredients into a saucepan. cook and mash with a spoon until the mixture is soft and just begins to boil. cool and place on top of cheesecake. enjoy!

 Happy Love Day! 

gingerbread cookies

i love all things Christmas

and these are definately my go-to cookie to bake

the smells that will permeate your house

are enough to be your favorite too

give some to neighbors, friends and family

or bake them for your cookie exchange

also

...I've heard Santa loves gingerbread cookies

{Ingredients}

3/4 cup shortening *

1 egg

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp cloves

{Directions}

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream shortening, egg and brown sugar.

Add the rest of ingredients.

Then add the molasses.

Roll into teaspoon size ball and roll in sugar.

Push down with fork.

Bake for 10 minutes, do not overbake.

Once out of the oven, dot with butter.

Eat hot.

*this recipe calls for shortening, but I substitute butter

in its place. Just melt 3/4 cup butter and let cool.

Add an extra 1/4 cup of flour to cookie dough.

If dough seems too soft, just cool it in

the fridge for a bit.

egg nog muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter (softened)
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 t. vanilla
1/2 t. rum ext.
2 t. baking powder
1 t. nutmeg (ground)
1/4 t. salt
2 1/2 cup flour
1 cup egg nog

Topping:
1 T. sugar and 1/4 t. nutmeg


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin (regular or mini).
Beat butter until creamy. Add sugar and beat until fluffy and pale yellow. Add egg one at a time and mix. Beat in extracts, baking powder, nutmeg and salt. Fold in 1/2 flour and 1/2 egg nog. Add remaining flour and egg nog. Scoop into cups and sprinkle topping over batter. Bake for 25 minutes or until bottoms turn golden-brown.
(shorter time for mini-muffins) DO not overbake.


Pin It





   ENJOY,

{chocolate cake}

this recipe will knock your socks off
it's moist, rich, decadent, and totally full of chocolate
this is my go-to recipe when i need a quick cake
and best of all you probably have the recipe right in your kitchen

hershey's "perfectly chocolate"
chocolate cake

 (the name describes this cake wonderfully and can be found on the back of hershey's baking cocoa)



ingredients:

2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c hershey's cocoa
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 c. milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 c. boiling water

Directions:
 
   1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour two 9 in. baking pans. 2. Combine dry ingredients in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on med speed 2 min. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour into pans. 3. Bake 30-35 min or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 min/ remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Frost with "perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting.
10-12 servings.


"perfectly chocolate" chocolate frosting

ingredients:

1 stick butter
2/3 c hershey's cocoa
3 c powdered sugar
1/3 c milk
1 tsp vanilla extract

directions:

  1. Melt butter, stir in cocoa. 2. Alternately add powdered sugar and milk, beating on med. speed to spreading consistency. Add more milk, if needed. Stir in vanilla. About 2 cups frosting.

Now lavishly spread the whole 2 cups all over that cake. And enjoy every single bite. Go ahead and have a big slice, I won't tell!!


 
   ENJOY

what i {love} wednesday

hi.
are you enjoying fall?
i sure am, fall is full of good eats!!


i've decided to add a new little segment
to the ol' bloggy.
this is my attempt to regularly post
and stay off pinterest.



so maybe it'll be a collaboration
of all things i love on pinterest.
and one of those things is food.
i love food. love to make it. love to look at it.
and my favorite, love to eat it.

and one of my favorite foods is

pumpkin

everything about it is delicious

here's just a {few} of my recipes i've pinned

24 pumpkin recipes

yep 24.

have i tried them all?

no.

would that really be my heart's desire?

yes.

let me know if you've tried them...

i'd love to know how delicious they are.

and if you have extras

you can send them my way!

1. pumpkin carrot cake with cream cheese frosting

2. pumpkin cheesecake muffins

3. pumpkin cream cheese truffles

4. gingerbread pumpkin trifle

5. cream cheese rippled pumpkin bread

6. baked pumpkin spice donut holes

7. pumpkin cinnamon rolls with caramel frosting

8. apple pumpkin soup

9. pumpkin dip recipe

10. pumpkin dump cake

11. pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

12. pumpkin coffee cake

13. pumpkin granola

14. pumpkin ice cream

15. pumpkin gingersnap cookies

16. pumpkin pancakes

17. pumpkin white hot chocolate

18. pumpkin lasagna

19. mini pumpkin oreo cheesecakes

20. pumpkin pie milkshake

21. pumpkin cake roll

22. pumpkin muffins with oatmeal streusel

23. pull apart cinnamon sugar pumpkin bread

24. pumpkin waffles

am i obsessed?
i think so.




happy pumpkin eating

pumpkin chocolate chip cookies

the {BEST} cookie recipe you will ever try!

{ingredients}

1 cup oil
2 eggs
1 large can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups sugar
5 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 pkg semisweet chocolate chips

{directions}

add dry ingredients together then wet. mix well. bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 min.

(i always bake til 12 min. just be sure they're not gooey on top if you shorten the time)

*makes an enormous batch so share, share away!

Pin It




  happy fall, y'all!

Pumpkin chocolate chip bread

There's a chill in the air and nothing says Autumn quite like a warm delicious loaf of pumpkin bread...throw in some chocolate chips and you've got yourself a bite of comfort!


Pumpkin chocolate chip bread Makes 1 9x5x3-inch loaf 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon salt 3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin puree (about half a 15-ounce can) 1/2 cup vegetable oil 1 1/4 cup sugar 2 large eggs 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/3 cup room temperature water 3/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, spices, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, oil and sugar until well-blended. Whisk in the eggs and the vanilla until combined, then whisk in the water. Fold the chocolate chips into the wet ingredients. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet, being careful not to overmix the batter. Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and gently knock the bottom of the pan onto the countertop to even out the batter. Use a spatula to smooth the top. Bake in the center of the oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 75 to 90 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting the loaf onto the rack to cool completely before serving. The loaf will keep for 3 days or more wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy! Adapted from pieceofcakeblog.blogspot.com

homemade pizza and a few tricks

friday night is pizza night at our house
it's the best darn tradition we've got
because, well it's pizza. delicious, addicting and fun to make
and if you're like us and have tomatoes coming out your ears
this is quite a delicious way to savor those garden-fresh babies
(or store bought too)

{Pizza Dough}

Whisk 3 3/4 cups flour and 1 1/2 teaspoon salt. Make a well (i stick my 1 cup measuring cup and make a little hole in the center of the flour/salt mixture) and add 1 1/3 cups warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 packet yeast. When foamy mix in 3 tablespoons of olive oil; knead until smooth, 5 minutes. Brush with olive oil, cover in a bowl and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

now this dough recipe is pretty big and easily makes 2 really large pizzas, we usually make 2 smaller ones for the kids and 2 medium-sized ones for the adults. so if 4 adults are eating, perfect. if more, than double the recipe. {recipe found in food network magazine}


{Chicken Bacon Ranch Pizza}

3 chicken breasts
about 1 cup crumbled bacon
1-2 large tomatoes
1 medium yellow onion
ranch
minced garlic
mozzarella cheese
and here's the kicker...asiago cheese (a little pricey but it lasts thru easily 50 pizzas, no joke)

here's the way we make pizza at our house...

take an old cookie sheet, that is now your pizza "stone", toss it in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees.
throw some flour and cornmeal on your preparation surface and roll out your dough (not too big, it has to fit on a cookie sheet) we like our pizza pretty thin, but if you like thick pizza than go for it. we have a pizza peel, but any type of surface will work, just make sure you can transfer it to the oven. put your dough on a floured surface, pizza peel, and make sure the dough can still slide around. if not, keep putting flour under the dough. and no it doesn't have to be a perfect circle, we always make a funky square shape and it's perfect. now you're ready for your toppings.

{Directions}

cook chicken in olive oil and a little garlic salt, chop tomatoes and onions, set aside. spread ranch on your pizza dough along with your minced garlic. coat evenly and generously. place chicken on ranch and then sprinkle mozzarella cheese across the entire pizza. toss your onions, tomatoes and crumbled bacon across the cheese. and for the best part of the entire pizza...shred some asiago cheese on the very top, this is killer.

now before attempting to transfer the pizza from "peel" to oven, make sure it can still slide around.
toss that beautiful pizza into the oven and about 10 minutes later, when the cheese is golden brown. it's done!


bon appetit

 

oatmeal chocolate chip cookies

there's just something about

coming home from school

and smelling fresh-baked cookies

that your mom has greeted you with

and since they're oatmeal

you can feel a teeny tiny bit better

serving them to your kiddies

(who am i kidding? they're full of all the good stuff

that makes cookies, well cookies)



ingredients:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 egg at room temperature
1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips


directions:

heat oven to 325 degrees. beat butter and sugars together in a mixing bowl until creamy. add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. place the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. mix well and add to butter mixture. beat until well mixed. add chocolate chips. form dough balls into heaping tablespoon size balls and place them 2 in. apart on greased cookie sheet. using your palm, press down gently. bake at 325 degrees until cookies begin to brown at edges, 12 to 15 minutes. do not overbake. cool on cookie sheet and transfer to wire rack. serve with big glass of cold milk to your hungry little school children while you learn about their adventures from school. recipe adapted from family circle

best recipe ever!

this is hands-down THE best recipe ever.

every single person that has ever tried one of these bad boys

has fallen in love.

bonus: they're not half bad for you either

and if you're like me, you always have a pair of

banans hanging around on the weekends

and i sure don't get any credit

because i found them a couple years ago here

• 1 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup of vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup of vanilla yogurt (we always use plain greek)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large, very ripe bananas
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat a muffin tray with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda, white sugar and brown sugar until well combined. In another bowl, mix the egg, oil, yogurt, vanilla and mushed bananas until mixed thoroughly. Slowly combine the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients without over mixing. Add the chocolate chips and fold them into the batter. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until golden brown and a tester inserted into the muffin comes out clean. Cool on a rack then serve with butter. Enjoy!


*this recipe can also adapt to bread as well...just bake in a bread pan for about an hour at 350 degrees
and you'll have delicious, moist, to-die-for bread! now run, don't walk, and make your family happy!!

have your cake and eat it too

sometimes you just need some cake

and this was definately worth

all the little steps and time.

it hit the spot.

so if you need some coconut

try this recipe

and then have as many slices

as you please

it is summer after all...

 

 

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 sticks butter, at room temperature
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 3 cups sifted self-rising flour
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Filling:

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup sour cream 
• 4 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut

7-Minute Frosting:

• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter or 1 tblsp white corn syrup 
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 
• 2 to 3 cups flaked sweetened coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) cake pans. (this is a must!)

Using an electric mixer, cream butter until fluffy.
Add sugar and continue to cream well for 6 to 8 minutes.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
Add flour and coconut milk alternately to creamed mixture, beginning and ending with flour.
Add vanilla and continue to beat until just mixed.


Divide batter equally among prepared pans.
Level batter in each pan by holding pan 3 or 4-inches above counter, then dropping it flat onto counter.
Do this several times to release air bubbles and assure you of a more level cake.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until done.
Cool in pans 5 to 10 minutes.
Invert cakes onto cooling racks.

Filling:

Stir together sugar, sour cream, milk, and coconut in a bowl until well blended.

Place the first cake layer onto pedestal.

Using the wrong end of a wooden spoon, poke holes approximately 1-inch apart until entire cake has been poked.

Spread a third of filling mixture on cake layer.

Top with second layer, repeat process. Top with last layer and repeat process again. (Cook's Note: As each layer is stacked, stick them with toothpicks to prevent cake from shifting.)

Frosting:

Place sugar, cream of tartar or corn syrup, salt, water, and egg whites in the top of a double boiler.

Beat with a handheld electric mixer for 1 minute.

Place pan over boiling water, being sure that boiling water does not touch the bottom of the top pan.

Beat constantly on high speed with electric mixer for 7 minutes. Beat in vanilla.

Frost the top and sides of the cake.

Sprinkle top and sides of cake with coconut.

recipe via Food Network

something for that special man in your life

sometimes it's hard to think of something

for that special father in your life

i feel like i've made/done every creative thing

i can think of for my husband...

he already has the kids' handprints hanging in his office

he has a dog tag necklace with their initials on it

he has special artwork done by the kids

he has cufflinks with his initials on them...

i kept things simple this year

and decided on a delicious treat

he can sit outside in the summer night

and enjoy with his family

and i personalized a little photo

he'll get in a frame...nothing crazy

but things i think he'll definately appreciate!

 

{Brownies}

4 squares unsweetened chocolate

3/4 cup butter

2 cups sugar

3 eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup flour

{Toppings}

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/2 bag mini marshmallows

Microwave chocolate and butter until melted in large bowl. Stir in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir until well mixed. Stir in flour. Spread in greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes. (do not overbake, remember brownies are meant to be a little gooey) Immediately sprinkle chocolate chips over warm brownies and spread over the top to form the first layer. Before the chocolate cools sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over the chocolate. Let cool. Finally spread a thick layer of mini marshmallows over the graham cracker crumbs and broil in the oven until marshmallow's turn golden brown. Let cool, or serve gooey and messy the way a smore should be! Enjoy!

this photo was taken about 3 days ago

he's teaching our son to ride

his bike with no training wheels

i loved it because it's a little bit blury

and a little bit candid at the same time

so i hopped on over to Picnik.com

and edited it a bit

rounded the corners, changed the color a tad

and added a little quote

that sums up just how my kids feel

about their daddy!