2011 -
03.25
Tags: cake, cake mix, cream cheese, easy Category Baking | 1 Comment »
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
"Crust" Ingredients
Cake Mix
Adding Melted Butter
Egg
Mixing
More Mixing
"Crust"
Pushing Crust into Pan
"Crust"
"Filling" Ingredients
Cream Cheese
Creaming Cream Cheese
Adding Eggs
Adding Vanilla
Adding Powdered Sugar
Adding Melted Butter
Mixing
Adding Chocolate Toffee Bits
Folding in Bits
Pouring "Filling" Over "Crust"
Smoothing the Top
Ready for the Oven
Crusty Corner!
All Cooked
Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Crust:
1 18.25 ounce box yellow cake mix
1 whole egg
1 stick butter, melted
Filling:
1 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 16 ounce box powdered sugar
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup almond toffee bits or chocolate toffee bits
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, 1 large egg, and 1 stick of melted butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside.
Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth; add 2 large eggs and the vanilla. Dump in powdered sugar and beat well. Reduce speed of mixer and slowly pour in the 1 stick of melted butter. Mix well. Fold in toffee bits.
Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Don’t be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don’t bake it past that point!
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely. Cut into squares. Just remember that these wonderful cakes are very, very rich, and a little will go a long way.
This is SO GOOD it should be illegal!!! And super easy! My dad gave me this recipe and I have no idea where he got it. Please make this and send me some! 
2011 -
03.16
Tags: cake mix, cupcakes, frosting, orange, pineapple Category Baking | No Comments »
Pine-Orange Cupcake
Cupcake Ingredients
Adding Cake Mix
Eggs!
Adding Crushed Pineapple
Adding Vegetable Oil
Adding Pine-Orange Juice Mixture
Blend
Blended
Ready for the Oven
Out of the Oven
Cooling
Frosting Ingredients
Butter
Creaming the Butter
Adding Powdered Sugar
Adding Crushed Pineapple
Adding Orange Juice
Frosting
Cupcakes!
Cupcake Close-Up
Rows o' Cupcakes
Pine-Orange Cupcakes
1 18.25 ounce box orange cake mix
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, drained, juiced reserved
3 whole eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/3 cups orange juice, mixed with remaining pineapple juice to mease 1 1/3 cups
Pine-Orange Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 8 ounce can crushed pineapple in juice, well drained
2 tablespoons orange juice, upto 4 tablespoons
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Preheat oven to 350. Line two cupcake trays with paper. Drain one can crushed pineapple with a cup underneath to catch juice. Add enough orange juice to make 1 1/3 cups. Set aside.
Blend cake mix, eggs, oil, crushed pineapple and pine-orange juice mix at low speed until moistened (about 30 seconds) Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. (Batter will be lumpy because of crushed pineapple.)
Pour batter into lined cupcake pans and back about 17 – 19 minutes. Allow to cool in pans 5 minutes, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.
Pine-Orange Frosting: Cream butter, slowly adding powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time. Add crushed pineapple and juice to reach desired consistency.
These cupcakes are very moist (hate that word!) and taste like heaven! The frosting in a bit lumpy (no piping!) and I a little runny, which I could have fixed by adding more powdered sugar, but I didn’t want to ruin the delicious taste!
2011 -
03.05
Tags: pictures Category Other | No Comments »
I promised you a peek into some of my favs and I’ve come to deliver! Most of these are my family but towards the end is my crazy circus like animals! I hope you enjoy!!
Justin and I in Las Vegas
Amara (and Uri)
Amara in her Princess Dress that Grandma Judi made.
The Family on the day we got Bogey!
Daddy (mine, not hers!), Amara, and I
Halloween 2006 Alice in Wonderland Theme!
Justin and Amara 2007
Mom and I with Richard in the background.
Grandma and Grandpa on their wedding day with baby Amara!
Peanut Butter Sandwich aka FATTEST CAT EVER!!!
3 Devils! Platy, Uri and Thumbs.
Handsome Thumbs (notice the extra toes!).
Beautiful Uri!
Platy!!! She is Thumb's mom and also has the extra toes!
Newt sitting on Bogey.
Big Bogey
Newt up close!
2011 -
03.02
Category Other | No Comments »
Hello interworldz! I know it may seems as though I’ve been slacking (and maybe that’s a little true) but mostly I’ve been having the worst cold ever!!!! And I’m having foot surgery on Friday so again I maybe out of the loop for a bit. However I’m no longer having a cold and I will have some things to post very soon. I just didn’t want you to think that I’d forgotten about you! I will also be uploading some fun photos of the fam and animals, but Picasa is wronging me right now, so it will have to wait!
Loves!!!
2011 -
02.12
Tags: muffins, vanilla Category Baking | 1 Comment »
Vanilla Crumb Muffin
Muffin Ingredients
Sugar
Added Eggs
Mixing
Adding Flour
Adding Baking Powder
Adding Flour Mixture
Adding Milk
Adding Melted Butter
Adding Vanilla
Mixed
Crumb Topping Ingredients
Adding Flour
Adding Powdered Sugar
Mixing
Adding Butter
Adding Vanilla
Cutting it with a Pasty Cutter
Hands Work Better
Crumb Topping
Test Muffin
Adding the Crumb Topping
Ready for the Oven
Cooked
Good Height
Naked Muffins
Muffins with Crumb Topping
Cooked Muffins
Pretty Tall
Yummy!
Vanilla Crumb Muffins
Muffin
1 cup sugar
2 whole eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/2 tablespoon vanilla
Crumb Topping
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, cold
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Beat sugar and eggs until creamy. Sift together the flour and baking powder. Add flour and milk alternately to creamed mixture. Add butter and vanilla. Beat until well combined. Fill cups 2/3 full in paper flutes or thoroughly greased tins. Sprinkle with crumb topping. Bake at 375 degrees for 17-20 minutes until golden.
Crumb Topping: Combine flour and powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Add butter and vanilla. Use a pasrty cutter or your hands to mix butter into flour mixture. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Makes 13 muffins with left over crumb topping.
I wanted to make muffins but I had no berries! So I thought vanilla muffins, but I needed a vanilla crumb topping. After searching the interwebz I found one. I put it together with the vanilla muffin recipes and PRESTO we have this! It is nice and moist and not to heavy like some muffins are. I made a testy one to make sure the crumb topping was good to go and it was! I ate it in like 3 seconds!
2011 -
02.12
Tags: spicy, wings Category Sides | No Comments »
Jerk Chicken Wings
the Ingredients
Green Onions
Adding Minced Garlic
Add Bay Leaves
Adding Habeneros
Adding Red Wine Vinegar
Adding Thyme
Adding Allspice
Adding Salt
Adding Pepper
Pre-Blend
Blending
More Blending
Pouring Over Chicken Wings
Marinading
About to go in the Oven
8 Pounds of Marinaded Wings
8 Pounds of Cooked Wings
Wings!!
Jerk Chicken Wings
18 whole green onions, tops and bottoms trimmed, chopped
12 cloves garlic
6 whole bay leaves
1 1/2 whole habanero chile, chopped
3/8 cup red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
6 teaspoons ground allspice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 pounds chicken wings
Lime wedges, for serving
In a food processor, pulse green onions, garlic, bay leaves, habanero, vinegar, thyme, allspice, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 tablespoons pepper until coarsely ground. In a large shallow dish, toss chicken with jerk mixture and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or up to 1 day).
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange chicken on foil-lined rimmed baking sheets and cook until browned, 35 to 40 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Serve with lime wedges.
Recipe found here.
I’m not a chicken wing eater, but I like to make them for gatherings. These I made for the last UFC (#126) and I guess they were good because they were eaten all up!
2011 -
02.05
Tags: guacamole, pineapple Category Sides | No Comments »
Grilled Pineapple Guacamole
the Ingredients
Grilling the Pineapple
Avocados!
Mashed Avocados!
Diced Grilled Pineapple
Adding Pineapple to Avocados
Adding Red Onion
Adding Pineapple Juice
Adding Cilantro
Adding Salt
Adding Cayenne
All Mixed Up
Grilled Pineapple Guacamole with Pork al Pastor
Grilled Pineapple Guacamole
3 slices fresh pineapple, 1/2-inch thick *See Notes
3 whole avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons pineapple juice, or orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
For a charcoal grill, grill pineapple sliced on the greased rack of an uncovered grill directly over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, turning once halfway through grilling time. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place pineapple on greased grill rack over heat. COver and grill as above.) (For a grill pan, heat greased grill pan over medium heat. Cook pineapple slices on grill pan for 6 to 8 minutes or until browned, turning once halfway though cooking time.) Core and chop pineapple.
Place avocados in medium bowl. Use a potato mashed or for to mash avocados. Stir in chopped pineapple, red onion, pineapple juice, salt and cayenne.
Notes- I used 4 sliced because I sliced them a little thinner (and I love pineapple!)
Very taste with a little bit of heat. I think when I make this again (and I will!) I’ll add a serrano or jalapeno just to make it a little hotter!
The recipe came from a Better Homes and Garden special interest magazine on Mexican food.
2011 -
02.04
Tags: pineapple, pork, tacos Category Dinners | No Comments »
Pork Al Pastor Tacos
the Ingredients
Pork Tenderloin Slices
Bag o' Pork
Adding Pineapple
Adding Onions
Adding Orange Juice
Adding White Vinegar
Adding Vegetable Oil
Adding Ground Chili Powder
Adding Jalapenos
Adding Sea Salt
Adding Dried Oregano
Adding Cumin
Adding Garlic
Ready to Mix
Pre-Blending
Blending
Blending
Blended
Adding to Pork
Pork Marinading
Justin Putting the Pork on the Grill
Grilling
Plate o' Meat and Pineapple
Chopping
All Mixed Up
Pork Al Pastor with Grilled Pineapple Guacamole
Pork Al Pastor
1 1/2 pounds pork loin, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices
1 whole pineapple, peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch rings
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup white vinegar
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons ground guajillo or pasillo chile peppers, *see Note
1 whole jalapeno, chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Place pork in large resealable bag.
For marinade, in a blender or food processor, combine three of the pineapple rings, onion, orange juice, vinegar, oil, ground guajillo chili pepper, jalapenos, kosher salt, garlic, oregano, and cumin. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Pour over pork. Seal bag; turn to coat pork. Marinate in refrigerator for 4 – 24 hours.
Drain pork and discard marinade. For a charcoal grill place five of the pineapple rings and all the pork slices on the rrill rack directly over medium coals. Grill uncovered for 10 to 12 minutes or until the pork is done (160f) and pineapple is browned, turning once half way through grilling. (For a gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place five of the pineapple rings and all the pork slices on grill racks over heat. Cover and grill as above.) Reserve remaining pineapple for another use.
Transfer grilled pineapple and pork to a cutting board; cut pineapple and pork into 1/2-inch pieces. In a medium bowl, toss together pineapple, pork and cilantro. Makes 5 cups filling.
NOTES- I used pork tenderloin and it melted in my mouth! Also I used ground ancho chili powder and skipped the cilantro (Justin’s not a big cilantro fan). This was SO good!!! It made a lot and I plan to enjoy the leftovers!!
The recipe came from a Better Homes and Garden special interest magazine on Mexican food.
2011 -
02.04
Tags: cupcakes, frosting, lemon Category Baking | No Comments »
Lemon Cupcakes
Cupcake Ingredients
Adding Flour
Adding Cake Flour
Adding Baking Powder
Adding Baking Soda
Adding Salt
Mixing
Butter
Creaming the Butter
Adding Sugar
Adding Lemon Zest
Adding Lemon Juice
Mixing in Eggs
Adding Flour Mixture
Adding Buttermilk
Mixing the Batter
BATTER!!!
2 Trays of Cupcakes Ready for the Oven
Plus 6 Extra Cupcakes
Slightly Caved in Cupcakes
Frosting Ingredients
Butter
Added Shortening
Creaming
Adding Vanilla
Adding Powdered Sugar
Adding Lemon Juice
Beating the Frosting
Yummy!
Rows of Cupcakes
Lemon Cupcakes
1 cup butter
4 whole eggs
2 cups flour
1/2 cup cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 cup buttermilk
Lemon Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup shortening
1 16 ounce box powdered sugar
3 drops yellow food coloring
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Allow butter and eggs to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Meanwhile in a medium bowl stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl beat butter on high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar lemon peel, and lemon juice; beat until will combined. Add eggs 1 at a time, beat well after each addition. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk. Beat on low speed after each addition until just combined.
Bake in a 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted near center comes out clean
Let cool completely.
Frosting: Cream butter and shortening. Add vanilla. Then alternate between powdered sugar and lemon juice. Add food coloring.
This recipe was found here.
Pretty yummy. I over mixed them a bit and they caved slightly in the center, but that just means more frosting!
2011 -
02.04
Tags: almonds, cinnamon Category Baking | No Comments »
Pictures
Cinnamon Toasted Almonds
the Ingredients
Pouring Sugar
Adding Brown Sugar
Adding Salt
Adding Cinnamon
Mixing
About to Beat Egg Whites
Beating Egg Whites
Frothy
Adding Vanilla
Beating
Beaten
Adding Almonds
Mixing the Almonds with the Egg White Mixture
Getting Covered in Egg White Mixture
Adding Sugar Mixture
Gently Mixing
Ready for the Oven
Pour onto Cookie Pan
Spreading them Out
Now Really Ready for the Oven
Halfway Done
Done but Still on the Sheet
Cooling
Cinnamon Toasted Almonds
1 whole egg whites
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups unblanched almonds
1/8 cup sugar
1/8 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until frothy; beat in vanilla. Add almonds; stir gently to coat. Combine the sugars, salt and cinnamon; add to nut mixture and stir gently to coat.
Spread evenly into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pans. Bake at 300° for 30-40 minutes or until almonds are crisp, stirring once. Cool. Store in an airtight container.
Original recipe came from here.
LOVE THESE!!!! Yes they are all caps worthy! As you can probably tell I’m not a huge nut person and I’m not sure what possessed me to make these, but I’m glad I did! They taste like candy, and I like candy!!! If you like almonds I really insist you make these!