Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cake

I had heard over and over again how amazing Nothing Bundt Cakes was and not long ago we made a stop and got a sample pack to try.  It certainly did not disappoint but I was not loving the price tag!

I had to bring dessert to our small group a few weeks ago and knew I wanted to bring some kind of bundt cake as I have a bundt pan that is so pretty and presentable I love to use it.

I scoured the internet for a chocolate chip bundt cake recipe and came across this one that was a Nothing Bundt Cakes Chocolate Chocolate Chip replica.  It was amazing and just as moist and perfect as the original!

I found the recipe at Favorite Family Recipes, it was super easy which is a must for me and like I said was delicious!!

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg. devils food cake, German chocolate cake, or chocolate cake mix
• 1 pkg. instant chocolate pudding
• 1 c. sour cream
• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 c. water
• 1/2 c. oil
• 1 1/2 c. mini chocolate chips
• 2 (8 ounce) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 3-4 c. powdered sugar
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1.   Mix first six ingredients together with a beater. Add chocolate chips. Pour into a greased bunt cake pan (cooking spray works best). Cook in oven at 350 degrees for 45-50 mins. Remove from oven. Let cool for 20 mins. Remove from pan. (I think it tastes best if you put it on a serving plate, wrap it well in Saran Wrap, and let it sit overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving..)

2.   In a medium bowl, cream together the cream cheese and butter until creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually stir in the powdered sugar (start with 2 cups then keep adding more until it is nice and thick). That's it!

The icing made so much I actually halved the icing part and still had a TON left over, and this cake was so good that it would be good on its own without the icing if you wanted!  I also did not let mine sit overnight I made it and took it straight to small group and it was so good being that it was still warm!

Toddler Food::Ham and Cheese Muffins

I am always looking for new things to feed L, he is not particularly picky just "toddler picky." By this I mean some days he likes certain things other days he doesn't like those same things.  This phenomenon drives me crazy because I never know if it's going to be a bird day ( he eats like a bird) or a horse day (he cant get enough).

If I can find something easy to make that 1. I can store and whip out in an instant 2. he likes to eat on most days and 3. doesn't require much prep then we have a winner.

These, meet all those criteria! Now, don't get me wrong I am not super lazy but some days such as the mornings after I work I am just so tired and gourmet meals just are not gonna happen.

I made these one morning after work which is a huge testament to how simple they are, granted I had more energy than usual that morning but none the less, they were super easy.  Also, I had most of the ingredients at home already.

I found the recipe on Weelicious.  This website is awesome, I have found so many great toddler food ideas on here that really are pretty good to the point that I enjoy them as well!

Here is the recipe, the link to the website is available just click on the title :)

Ham and Cheese Muffins

(makes about 18 muffins, I got 20)

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup or honey
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 cup ham, chopped fine

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. 2. Combine the first 5 dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
3. 3. In a separate bowl whisk the eggs, oil and maple syrup and stir to combine.
4. 4. Add the buttermilk to the egg mixture and stir.
5. 5. Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour and stir until just combined.
6. 6. Fold in the cheese and ham.
7. 7. Scoop the batter 2/3 of the way up into greased muffin cups and bake for 18-20 minutes (15 minutes if using mini muffin cups).
8. 8. Cool on a wire rack and serve.

I think next time I may grate some carrots and add in to try and add some veggies, these were pretty good and L loved them so thats always a plus!

the baking curse has been broken

SO in the past no matter what I try to bake if it doesn't come from a box it fails miserably even if I follow the directions to a T ...I am cursed... well I have been craving apple pie, it has always been a thanksgiving tradition and this year we went to my grandparents house and apple pie wasn't on the menu :( so I have still been craving apple pie so I took it on myself to attempt an apple pie... completely homemade

I found a recipe online from better homes and gardens

you'll need for the pie filling:
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbs. all purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
6 cups peeled and sliced apples
sugar to sprinkle on top (I used brown sugar)

Crust:
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cooking oil
1/3 cup milk

1. preheat oven to 375 degrees F, In a large bowl stir together the 1/2 cup sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Add apples and stir to combine. Let stand while making crust.


1B. PIE CRUST: In a bowl stir together flour, sugar, and salt. In a small bowl stir together milk and oil; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir with fork until dough mixture comes together, with floured hands form into a ball. Divide into three equal balls. proceed to step 2.

2. For pie crust, with your hands firmly press two of the dough balls firmly into 9inch pie plate and up the sides; continue pressing to form and edge at the rim. Set aside

3. Divide remaining dough ball into 6 equal parts. On waxed paper pat each dough portion into three inch circles; set aside. Transfer apple mixture into pie shell, top with dough circles Sprinkle with additional sugar.



4. Place a baking sheet on oven rack; place pie plate on baking sheet. Bake pie for 65 min or until filling is bubbly in the center. If necessary, cover top of pie with foil for lat 10-15 min to prevent over browning. Remove pie from oven, remove foil, place on wire rack to cool completely



This pie really was so easy to make and I couldn't have done it without the help of this from pampered chef

Its an apple/peeler/corer/slicer and I had all my apples prepared in about 5 minutes, its an amazing and fun gadget... I digress...

So this pie came out perfect, even with all my handling of the dough it was perfect and flaky, however I would next time make extra dough because I really had to press it and make it stretch so I had enoughto cover the bottom and sides of the pie dish and I still didn't have enough to make the whole rim of the pie crust and I also added some brown sugar to the apple mixture and on top as was suggested by Bryan the family chef expert and it turned out great and I will definitely be making this again as it was so easy

I think the baking spell has been Broken