Chocolate-Cherry Cola Cake

I wanted to make Adam a birthday cake, but didn't want something too time consuming as it was going to be a busy week, and he would get a whole big cake this weekend.

I saw this recipe in a link a friend sent me, and it looked simple, and tasty.

These has great flavor! The cake is super moist and yummy and the frosting just adds a touch. I made this into cupcakes.

Happy Birthday Adam!

Chocolate-Cherry Cola Cake (From: Betty Crocker Birthday Parties Cookbook)

• 10 oz jar maraschino cherries, drained, 1/4 c liquid reserved
• 1 box devil's food cake mix
• 1 c cherry cola
• 1/2 c vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 12oz container whipped vanilla frosting
• 1 c marshmallow creme
• 24 maraschino cherries with stems, well drained, if desired

Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom only of 13x9 pan with baking spray. Chop cherries; set aside.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, cola, oil, eggs and 1/4 c reserved cherry liquid with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped cherries. Pour into pan.

Bake at 35-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.

In small bowl, mix frosting and marshmallow creme until smooth. Frost cake. Top each piece with two cherries.

Orange Poppy Seed Muffins

I have been wanting a mini-muffin pan for a long time, I never actually buy myself one because it's pretty much a want not a need. Adam and I went to Target today, when Adam saw one today he threw it in the cart. Seriously he spoils me too much :) Once we got home I decided I need to make some muffins. But I wasn't sure what kind.

I ended up thinking lemon poppy seed, but all the recipes I found called for plain yogurt and we didn't have any. So I found a recipe for orange poppy seed muffins. I found these via google search, but was lead to a website called Mr.Breakfast, if all the recipes are anything like this I will be hooked, I am going to try another recipe from here soon!

These little muffins are like bites from heaven, they have just the perfect amount of orange and the poppy seeds, and are just bite size YUM!

Orange Poppyseed Muffins (From: Mr.Breakfast)

• 3 cups flour
• 2 and 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 and 1/2 cup orange juice (with pulp preferred) (I squeezed 3 oranges which got me about 1 c. then added 1/4 c. water)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup poppy seeds
• 3 eggs
• 2 teaspoons orange extract (I omitted and used some orange zest)
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and poppyseeds. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, oil, orange juice and extract.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until moistened -- not overmixing.

Divide batter into 24 greased muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until tops are golden brown.

Blueberry Muffins

One week left, one week left is what I keep telling myself. I can't wait to get back into my kitchen and cook meals again at night. I have been trying to bake something to send with Adam each week he leaves. This week I decide to make him some blueberry muffins so that he wouldn't have to worry about breakfast.

These are SOO good, they are soft, moist and great flavor.

To Die For Blueberry Muffins (From: Allrecipes)

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease muffin cups or line with muffin liners.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 3/4 cup sugar, salt and baking powder. Place vegetable oil into a 1 cup measuring cup; add the egg and enough milk to fill the cup. I added a dash of vanilla Mix this with flour mixture. Fold in blueberries. Fill muffin cups right to the top, and sprinkle with crumb topping mixture.

To Make Crumb Topping: Mix together 1/2 cup sugar, 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup butter, and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon. Mix with fork, and sprinkle over muffins before baking.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes in the preheated oven, or until done.

Apple Cinnamon Muffins

After being at my job for a month now, I am getting bored with my breakfast ideas. I already get up around 5:15am every morning, so getting up earlier just to eat breakfast doesn't excite me. So normally I feel my mug with juice and grab something to eat in the car on my way to work. My drive and eat options are limited and I was bored with what I have been having. So I decide to make some apple cinnamon muffins and freeze them, so I can grab one each morning and go, and not worry about them going bad!

These have GREAT flavor and will work perfect for breakfast!

Cinnamon Apple Muffins (From: Penzeys)

• 4 Cups apples, peeled, cored and chopped
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 1 Cup vegetable oil (I used cinnamon applesauce instead)
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. almond extract (I used vanilla)
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 3 Cups all-purpose flour
• 2 Cups granulated white sugar

Topping:

• 3/4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 Cup granulated white sugar
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 6 TB. butter, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two muffin pans and set aside (you may have enough batter for more than 24 muffins). Peel, core and slice the apples. Cut into good-sized chunks, about 1 inch in size.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add the oil and beat until combined. Add the vanilla, almond, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Beat until thoroughly mixed. Next, add the flour and sugar and mix on low just to blend. Then turn the mixer to high and beat until mixture is smooth. The batter will be very thick.

Fold in the chopped apples, mixing by hand so the apples do not get too broken up. Divide the mixture between the two muffin pans. Since the batter is so thick, it is easiest to spoon the batter into the pans.

To prepare the topping, combine flour, sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut the butter into the mixture with a fork until all ingredients are moist and crumbly. If you don't mind a little mess, it is faster to use your hands. Sprinkle equal amounts of topping on each muffin.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes on the center rack of the oven. The muffins should feel fairly firm when touched in the middle, or bake an extra 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a cooling rack. Let cool for 5 minutes before removing from the pans.

Prep. time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 20-25 minutes
Yield: 24-28 muffins

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes

I have seen this recipe many times and each time think I really should make them, but never get around to it, I knew I was making muffins for Adam to take to work, so I figured I would try these.

Pink Lemonade Cupcakes (From: Duchess281)

• 3/4 c. frozen Pink Lemonade Concentrate, thawed
• 3/8 c. water
• White cake mix
• 3 egg whites
• 2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• Non-stick spray

In a stand mixer, add the cake mix, egg whites, vegetable oil, and the pink lemonade concentrate. Mix on low for about 30 seconds and then increase to medium speed for 90 seconds (the batter will still be a bit lumpy; take care not to overmix so you don’t end up with dry cupcakes).

Spray each cupcake liner with the non-stick spray and spoon the batter into a prepared muffin pan (fill the cups between 2/3 and 3/4 full). Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until a toothpick registers “done” in the center cupcake. Remove the pan from the oven and cook 5 minutes. Remove the cupcakes and cool completely on a baking rack.

Once the cupcakes have cooled, make the icing and ice the cupcakes.

I frosted with vanilla frosting and some red sprinkles.

Coconut Muffins

Last week Adam was switched shifts at work, while asking him if it was ok to switch they said "You know you still have to bring your wife's baked goods in" I wanted to make some muffins to send with him last night but didn't have time. So today I made sure to make some muffins and cupcakes.

I love coconut and Adam doesn't so I figured this was a perfect excuse make some coconut muffins, I can have a few, and send the rest to work with him.

Coconut Cupcakes (From: Allrecipes)

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut
  

TOPPING:

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup flaked coconut
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, combine the egg, milk, oil and extract; mix well. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined. Stir in coconut.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full.

Combine the topping ingredients; sprinkle over batter. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Nutella Cupcakes

Nutella... where were you all my life??

I first heard of Nutella after graduating high school, I new it was a hazelnutty thing. When I hear hazelnut I think coffee... I don't like coffee I don't need to try.

A few months ago I saw a jar at my moms on my brothers desk, he doesn't like coffee, but likes that maybe I should try it. It's heaven, I bought it next time we were at the store, it is seriously heaven! I went through 3 bags of pretzels just eating that stuff yum! Someone on the nest board made Nutella cup cakes and put them in her siggy, they looked amazing. I have had the recipe saved for a while now and never got around to it, finally today I said I am making them.

When telling a friend what I was baking we started talking about the history of Nutella, I found a very interest link with information about the history of Nutella, click here to read it.

I also made some icing to go on top of them. These are good without the icing, but sinful with the frosting YUM!

Nutella Cupcakes (From: Ladymbth)

• 10 tbsp butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 3/4 cup sifted ap flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• Nutella, approx. 1/3 cup

Preheat oven to 325F. Line 12 muffin tins with paper liners.

Cream together butter and sugar until light, 2 minutes. Add in eggs one at a time, until fully incorporated. Don't worry if the batter doesn't look smooth. Add vanilla. Stir in flour, salt and baking powder until batter is uniform and no flour remains.

Using an ice cream scoop, fill each muffin liner with batter. They should be 3/4 full, if you're not using a scoop.

Top each cake with 1 1/2 tsp Nutella. Swirl Nutella in with a toothpick, making sure to fold a bit of batter up over the nutella. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Makes 12.

Nutella Frosting (From: Myself)

• Nutella
• Milk
• Powdered Sugar

I didn't measure anything but combined the above ingredients until it's the consistency you would like spread on top of cupcakes.

Blueberry Muffins

I have a bunch of leftover blueberries and strawberries from my fruit pizza. I really didn't want to go bad, so I have been thinking of what to make with them. Adam loves his muffins, so I decided to try my hand at homemade muffins. This was a super easy recipe, and super tasty.

Blueberry Muffins (From: Betty Crocker Cookbook)

• 3/4 c. milk
• 1/4 c. vegetable oil
• 1 lg. egg
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 2 t. baking powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 c. blueberries
  

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups with shortening, spray with cooking spray, or line with paper baking cups.

In large bowl, beat milk, oil and egg with fork or wire whisk until well mixed. Stir in flour, sugar, baking powder and salt all at once just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Fold in blueberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. If baked in greased pan, let stand about 5 minutes in pan, then remove from pan to wire rack; if baked in paper baking cups, immediately remove from pan to wire rack. Serve warm if desired.

Cupcake Cones

I was watching a show this week, and they were showing 4th of July entertaining ideas. They showed cupcake cones. I thought they were SO cute. So I found a recipe, and am bring them to family game night tonight. Hopefully everyone likes them! This would be a lot of fun for children!

Cupcake Cones

• 1 box cake mix
• 24 Ice Cream Cones
• frosting
• water, oil and eggs per cake mix directions on box

Preheat oven to 350F.

Mix cake mix per directions on box.

Place ice cream cones in muffin pan and fill about 3/4 full.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until done.

Cool on a wire rack. Let cool completely if frosting.

**Tips: I used a 4th of July cake mix, so it had red and blue sprinkles, but you can use food dye to make different "flavors" of ice cream.

Crock Pot Lasagna and Cupcakes

Tonight we had our normal Tuesday date night, this week it was at our house, and I have been wanting to make the Crock-pot Lasagna I made for my mom a few weeks ago. I knew I wanted to make it when we had company so that we wouldn't have a ton of leftovers. It was very good! I served it with garlic toast.

Crock Pot Lasagna (From: Nesties)

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lg. onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
• 1 lg. jar spaghetti sauce
• 1 pkg. no-boil lasagna noodles
• 16 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 lb. ricotta cheese
• 1/4 c. milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. shredded Parmesan/ Romano Cheese

Salt and Pepper to taste

Brown the beef, onion and garlic in a little oil in a frying pan. Drain off any grease.

Add the spaghetti sauce into browned meat mixture. Mix well.

In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta cheese, milk, and egg. Beat until thoroughly mixed and smooth. Then mix in the mozzarella cheese and the grated cheese, so that all the cheeses are combined.

Grease the slow cooker with some vegetable shortening on the bottom and sides.

Put about 1/4 of the meat and sauce mixture in the bottom of the slow cooker. Put a layer of noodles on top of that. Put about 1/3 of the cheese mixture on top of that. Then repeat with sauce, noodles, cheese for another 2 layers. Top with meat sauce. Cook on low for 4-6 hours or until noodles are tender.

***Tips: I used 2 jars of sauce. I also did 4 layers instead of the 2. I made it in a slow cooker on the setting of 2 for about 9 hours. I also used grated Parmesan cheese.


Peanut Butter Brownie Cupcakes (From: Food Network/ Paula Deen)

• 1 (18 1/2-ounce) package chewy fudge brownie mix (recommended: Duncan Hines)


• 1 (12-ounce) package peanut butter chips or 24 miniature peanut butter cups

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 regular muffin cups with paper cupcake liners.

Prepare the brownie mix according to package directions for cake-like brownies. Fill the cups half full with brownie batter.

Place about 1 tablespoon peanut butter chips in the center of the batter, or press 1 peanut butter cup into the batter in each muffin cup until the batter meets the top edge of the peanut butter cup.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the cupcakes are set. When they can be handled safely, remove them from the muffin tins and let cool completely on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

***Tips: These were very good, but very very sweet. They also kind of stuck to the liners. It will be a long time before I make these again just not the best.

Green Food....

We had a party down at my moms for St. Pattys day, everyone was suppose to bring a good food. Everything was REALLY good.

Pistachio Salad (My Mom)

• 1 tub of cool whip
• 1 lg. can of pineapple
• 1 pkg. pistachio pudding mix
• 1 bag mini marshmallows

Mix cool whip and pudding mix together, slowly add in drained pineapple, then add in about 1/4 to 1/2 bag of mini-marshmallows.

Spinach Artichoke Dip (My Recipe) ** Not the best picture sorry

• 1 block of frozen spinach
• 1 can artichokes
• 1 small cottage cheese
• 1/4 c. mayo
• 1/4 c. parmesan cheese
• 1 bag mozzarella cheese

Blend spinich and artichokes together in bowl, with mixer, then add cottage cheese, mayo, and parmesan

Diet Coke Cup Cakes (Nestie Recipe)

• 1 box of cake mix
• 1 can diet pop

Mix cake mix and pop together, bake in oven and direction on box or until toothpick comes out clean.

***Tips, I have seen this recipe many times on the nest but was also a little worried to try them, I used a white cake mix and diet 7up, they were wonderful! People were amazed they were fat free, execpt for the frosting. You can use any kind of cake mix and diet pop for this recipe. They are a little more sticky and moist then regular but wonderful tasting!

Tortilla Roll-ups (Lori's Recipe)

• 8oz sour cream
• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup chedder cheese
• 4oz diced green chilis (well drained)
• 4 oz diced black olives (well drained)
• garlic powder to taste
• seasoned salt to taste
• (it called for green onions - but since I don't like onions - I didn't add any)
• 5 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Combine all and spread on tortillas, Roll up and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate about 2 hours. Unwrap and cut into 1" pieces.

Can be served with salsa.