Pumpkin Oatmeal Protein Bars

I haven't been posting lately because I have been working (yay!) and spending a lot of spare time weight training and preparing for my first race. As part of my new workout plan I have also upped my protein, and one of my goals has been to come up with a protein bar that doesn't taste like cardboard. And since I also make them for my husband they have to be peanut butter free (he isn't allergic, just crazy--he doesn't like peanut butter!).

Its fall so I am buying cans of pumpkin regularly. I enjoy pumpkin oatmeal so I thought I would make a bar with a similar taste.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 c oats
4 scoops vanilla protein powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbs pumpkin spice
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/5 tbs ground flaxseed
1/4 c brown sugar
2 oz almonds, toasted
1/2 c coconut, toasted
3/4 c raisins
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c honey
3/4 c unsweetened applesauce
3/4 c canned pumpkin

Mix dry ingredients together and fold in wet ingredients. Spread in a 9x13 pan.  Bake at 325 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

 

High Protein Banana Pudding Shake

I have been experimenting again, this time with cottage cheese. My husband has been searching for new ways to increase his daily protein intake so I started seeking out high protein shake recipes. I discovered that a shake made with cottage cheese AND whey protein makes for a super high protein shake. If you have looked at my recipes before you know that I put frozen bananas in all my smoothies. I love the consistency and the sweetness without adding sugar. Well I made a shake I found online that was supposed to taste like birthday cake and after a few tweaks (including the bananas!) I concocted a shake that tasted like banana pudding. No, really! And don't let the cottage cheese scare you. Once you throw it in the blender and smooth it out you won't have to worry about your smoothie having curd chunks. I personally do not like cottage cheese and get slightly nauseated looking at it. But throw it in a smoothie and I don't even taste it. For realz.

Banana Pudding Protein Shake!
SERVES 2
1 banana, frozen
2 scoops vanilla whey protein
1 cup lowfat cottage cheese
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbs brown sugar (optional, of course--I would skip this if using a protein powder that is already sweetened)
1- 1 1/2 cup skim milk (to desired thickness)
1/8 tsp xantham gum

1. Throw it all in the blender.
2. Tada! A high protein (over 40g) shake!

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes

I love pancakes. Looooove. I have been experimenting with all sorts of pancake recipes in an attempt to make them healthy without compromising taste. I have a few recipes up my sleeve and today I am giving you the recipe for my oatmeal flax pancakes!

Before I share the recipe I want to tell you about oat flour. Its great. Its high fiber and high protein. It also tastes better than a lot of the alternative flours you come across when searching for something to replace white flour. I like Bob's Red Mill Oat Flour. Sometimes, if you are lucky, you can find their products at Big Lots for less than you will even at Wally World. Yep.

I should also tell you about substitutions. See, when you see a delicious pancake recipe that you know is full of sugar and fat, you can make healthy swaps. Forget using oils; how about some greek yogurt or applesauce? Maybe canned pumpkin? Cut the sugar in half. Pancakes don't need to be too sweet, especially if you just wait and drizzle a little honey on them later. Mmm. And of course you can swap that regular ol' flour for coconut, oat, etc. On the other end of the spectrum, you have the uber healthy pancakes that you look at and go: "that doesn't sound too tasty." It happens. Sometimes those recipes are desperately in need of flavor. I suggest adding vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg...really any extract or spice that might dress them up a little. And if a recipe calls for absolutely no sugar and you feel like you need your pancakes a little sweet you can add a few tablespoons of honey OR consider adding a naturally sweet fruit like bananas.

Okay, on with the recipe! This is a recipe I adapted from Bob's Red Mill. It was actually on the package of oat flour. Basically I removed the oil from the recipe and added flax, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Oatmeal Flax Pancakes
Serves 4

1 Cup Skim Milk or Milk of Your Choice (I like coconut milk)
3/4 Cup Quick Oats
3/4 Cup Oat Flour
1/4 Cup Ground Flax Seeds
2 Tbsp Sweetener of Choice (I use raw honey)
2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Sea Salt
1 Tsp Ground Cinnamon
2 Eggs, Large
1/2 Cup Plain Nonfat Yogurt
1 Tsp Vanilla


Preheat griddle over medium heat.

Mix milk and quick oats and cook in the microwave according to package directions. Let cool for a few minutes.

While oatmeal is cooling, mix flour, flax, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt. Then add oatmeal to dry ingredients.

Add eggs, yogurt, and vanilla to mixture. Stir thoroughly.

Drop pancakes onto griddle using a 1/4 cup scoop. Cook until golden brown on each side.

Nom nom nom

Top with yogurt, fruit, honey, nuts...whatever you like! Just try to keep it healthy! Enjoy.

Get in my belly

Peanut Butter Cup Protein Shake

Today I was craving something sweet. Decadent. Chocolatey. That is what led me to an idea that should have been obvious sooner...a peanut butter cup shake! I love peanut butter. It is a food I could easily live on. It is also high in protein and can be nutritious (in moderation and without added sugar). In my mind nothing goes better with peanut butter than chocolate. Not even jelly! Its such a great combination. I  can't understand why my husband hates peanut butter, even if it is covered in chocolate. Freak.

So here is a little high protein shake I whipped up and enjoyed immensely. It satisfied my sweet tooth. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Cup Smoothie

1 cup lowfat chocolate milk
1 scoop chocolate protein (I like Optimum Whey in Double Rich Chocolate)
1 tbsp of natural peanut butter (read the ingredients!)
1/2 a frozen banana

Blend and indulge.

Mochanut Smoothie

This is something I have been dreaming up for a while because I LOVE chocolate and coconut combination and I had a brief love affair with the mocha coconut frappucino at Starbucks when it first came out. Now, as you check out the recipe I want you to keep in mind that you can adjust the level of coconut flavor. If you aren't a fan of shredded coconut, skip it. If you want to make your drink have a more intense coconut flavor you can try coconut mocha coffee (Donut Shop makes it for the Keurig), coconut yogurt (Dannon and So Delicious make coconut yogurts) or even use a coconut protein powder (BSN Lean makes a chocolate coconut candy bar flavor), just keep in mind that this will give your drink an intense fake coconut flavor. I personally am not a fan of artificial flavors, which is why it took me a long time to even find a chocolate protein powder that I found acceptable. My husband is a fan of Optimum Whey (its next on my list to try) and I am finishing up a bottle of Jillian Michael's Triple ChocolateShake. I like it because it doesn't contain artificial sugars. You can find it at Wal-Mart or Sam's Club. Anyway, make substitutions and play with the recipe until you get your desired amount of coconut flavor.

Behold, the Mochanut!

Mochanut Smoothie (Serves 2)-Amended 07/22/12


One cup strong brewed coffee, chilled
1 small banana, frozen
2 scoops chocolate protein powder
1 tbs unsweetened cocoa
1/2 C plain or vanilla yogurt (or coconut!)
1/2 C light canned coconut milk*
2 Tbs unsweetened shredded coconut** (optional)
Pinch of Xanthan Gum (optional--for a creamier smoothie)


Blend and enjoy!
Calories per serving: 228

*You can use the coconut milk of your choice here and there are lots of options. I have tried it with the kind in a carton (there is a difference between actual coconut milk and milk made from a coconut. I think the canned coconut milk gives a richer coconut flavor but its all about personal taste).
**Unsweetened shredded coconut can usually be found in the freezer section with the frozen fruit.

Red Wine Chocolate Cake with Cherry Sauce

Yesterday I had a problem: I had an open bottle of Malbec that had gotten too much air. I needed to do something with with it, and why waste it? I also had an abundance of cherries. So I hopped online and found a red wine chocolate cake from Smitten Kitchen. You can't go wrong with a recipe from that site. I made the cake as directed but I did not make the whipped mascarpone because I didn't feel like going to the store. I am sure it would enhance the flavor. Instead I topped it with whipped cream and this red wine cherry sauce. I must say it was quite tasty. I could eat the cherry sauce by itself. I think if I did this again I would poke holes in the cake and and top it with the sauce to let it soak in. Mmmm.  And I would LOVE to try it with the mascarpone. Here is a picture. Start drooling.

Chicken Alfredo-Healthified

Chicken Alfredo is a classic comfort food and as often as we try to be good and eat healthy let's face it...sometimes we just want a bowl of creamy pasta. I think my husband could live on meat and pasta and he loves alfredo. He has done so well to lose 25lbs and I am very proud of him. And how does he lose weight when he loves meat and carbs? His sneaky wife. That's right. I find ways to make classic recipes healthier, making him filling lunches with veggies and complex carbs (no more bacon for him!), and making him a fruit filled protein smoothie every morning.

Recently I found this recipe for Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo and tweaked it to cut some calories (but not taste!). It gives you the satisfaction of a creamy pasta dish without as much guilt. Bonus: it's quick, cheap, and makes a lot of food!

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo--Healthified!


2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken, cut into bite size pieces
Salt & Pepper
Low calorie olive oil spray, such as Pam
14 oz package of whole grain linguini*
2 cups of fresh or frozen broccoli
2 cans of low fat condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 cup skim milk
1 cup shredded Italian blend cheese made with 2% milk


*You can also use Ronzoni Smart Taste. In fact its preferred in my house but they don't make a linguini. Their spaghetti or penne would make a nice substitute!


1. Cook pasta according to directions. You can throw in broccoli florets during the last 4-5 minutes of cooking OR if you have a picky eater that isn't fond of veggies I reccomend steaming the broccoli and pureeing it in a food processor. Be sure to drain the pasta and if cooking broccoli separately, drain that as well.


2. While pasta is cooking, get the chicken ready. Season to taste with salt and pepper (a little garlic powder is good too! Whatever floats your boat). Spray a large pan with nonstick spray and cook chicken until cooked all the way through. Stir frequently to ensure even cooking.

3. Put linguini, soup, milk, and cheese together in a pot and stir frequently over low heat until there are no lumps in your soup. Turn off heat and toss in chicken and broccoli (if broccoli was not already in linguini) . Top with a little extra cheese when serving if you are feeling extra naughty.


Serves 8. Calories per serving (not counting any extra naughty cheese) approx. 384.

Makin' Groceries

Evenin' ya'll!

I recently had friends visit me from Oklahoma and it made me realize just how fascinating a Louisiana grocery store is, even to us Okies. You can buy moonshine, cracklins, boudin, gator burgers, meat pies, and 5 different kinds of head cheese all at the same store. So I wanted to post 16 things you can find at a Southern Louisiana grocery store that you most likely will not find anywhere else. This doesn't mean I have tried everything on this list. Quite frankly I am scared to! There are just some things better left unknown. But, there are some great local foods that you won't find on this list because you can probably find them outside of Louisiana...like Abita beer (yum!) and Zapp's chips. Delish. These items were just made for watching Saints games!

16. Chicory Coffee

Chicory coffee can be found at any grocery store and is served at local coffee shops and at the infamous Cafe Du Monde. I have tried it and I just wasn't that into it. I like my coffee strong and ALL coffee. No chicory, no green tea extract, no hazelnut. Just coffee. Coffee coffee coffee.

Anyway, from what I have read this type of coffee came about when coffee was scarce in France during their civil war. They added chicory, the root of the endive plant, to give it body and flavor.

15. Olive Salad

Olive Salad is a common condiment 'round these parts

A grocery store staple around these parts is olive salad. A traditional style muffuletta sandwich consists of a muffuletta loaf split horizontally and covered with layers of olive salad, ham, capicola, salami, pepperoni, provolone and swiss cheese. And yes, you can even buy the sandwiches already made at the store.

Check out the size of this muffuletta at Chartres House Cafe in the French Quarter

14. Jars of Roux

They had at least six kinds of roux at this store

Roux, gumbo base, gravy...if you need it and you don't feel like making it you can buy it in a jar at the grocery store. Of course if you know me, I don't need no stinking jar. I make everything from scratch. =)

13. Kleinpeter Ice Cream

I'd buy this but I would eat it in record time

Every state has their famed local dairy. When I lived in Connecticut I was obsessed with Stew Leonard's. When I lived in Oklahoma, it was Braum's or bust. Kleinpeter's makes some of the best vanilla ice cream I have ever had, and I know my ice cream. But its the creative  local flavors that really make it so great. They have flavors like sweet potato pie, gold brick sundae (made with Elmer's Gold Brick candy--another local favorite) and praline (made with the infamous Aunt Sally's pralines). 

12.Poor Boy Bread 

That's pronounced "po boy." It is kind of like sub sandwich bread, only chewier. Great for dipping in gravy. Mmm. 

11. Blue Plate Mayonnaise

Miracle Whip? Nah. Locals use Blue Plate Mayo. Don't ask me why. I don't have a clue. But it sure is popular. 

10. Hubig's Pies

When I was a kid I loved fried pies. We would pick out our favorite flavor Dolly Madison pies at the local United Supermarket in Enid, Okla. Of course, this was one of the many reasons why I was such a chunky little thing. I didn't touch another fried pie until I moved to Louisiana and discovered the wonder that is the Hubig's pie. I was told the sweet potato one was a rare seasonal treat so naturally I indulged. It is quite tasty, and how often do you see a sweet potato fried pie? I have tried a few other flavors (usually as a late night snack after being in the quarter) and have enjoyed strawberry and banana. For whatever reason, there is something special about a Hubig's pie (especially if you microwave it so that its warm).


9. All Things Pork

This is just a small fraction of the brands and flavors of fried pork skins.

Pork tasso. Boudin. Cracklins. Head cheese. Pigs feet. Andouille. You name it, they've got it. Rows of cajun sausages, flavors of cracklins I never expected (salt and vinegar?), and many types of head cheese (who knew you could get more than one kind?). You can even buy a big ol' bucket of frozen chitterlings. I love sausage. I might even try cracklins. But I can barely type the phrase "head cheese" without gagging.

8. Cajun Wine Glasses

Whats that you say? Cajun wine glasses? Its probably a tourist trap because you could so totally buy the supplies at Dollar Tree. And maybe I will...hmmm...cheap Christmas gifts??? It appears to be nothing more than a mason jar glued to a candlestick holder.

7. Fresh Gulf Shrimp

Don't these look appetizing?

They are just sitting there in a pile for you to buy by the pound like produce. You pick them up with your little tongs and put them in a bag. I usually buy them washed and peeled, but I recently learned how to take them apart. I am getting better about not being squeamish about sea bugs!

6. Creole Tomatoes 

Oh. My. God. I heard these little red beauties were delicious and I heard right! I moved right after the season ended last year so as soon as they came out I rushed out to get some. They are firm and meaty, yet sweet and juicy. They are fat red delicious tomatoes! I bought a tomato plant and we will see if it produces anything. The best thing about creole tomato season? These:

Best chips EVER

5. Gator Meat!

Yep, you can get alligator at the grocery store. Alligator sausage, alligator burgers, alligator bites, etc. Its there! I have never personally prepared alligator but I have had it and it is delicious. It tastes like chicken! No, really.


4. Crawfish

They look WAY too excited about these pies

People eat these in my native Oklahoma too, but here you can get it fresh, frozen, or in a meat pie!

3. Booze

Yes, it is legal to buy your hard booze at the grocery store and yes, we do have moonshine (but I have yet to find any actually made here).I know this is legal in other states but friends that visit from Oklahoma are amazed at how accessible liquor is here because it is so different there. You can even buy your whiskey at Walgreens and stop at a drive thru daiquiri shop for a go cup of your favorite frozen drink!

2. Cajun Spices

Sure, you can get Tony Chachero's at most grocery stores,  but down here that is just the tip of the cajun spice iceberg! We've got Slap Ya Mama, Louisiana Spice, and of course a wide variety of hot sauces.

1. Red Beans and Rice

Whats that you say? You can get that where you live? Sure you can get some boxed version. Or use Uncle Ben's rice and and regular ol' red beans. Down here we use long grain white rice (at Winn Dixie they call it creole rice) and Camellia red beans. I buy them at Sam's,,,that's right: beans in bulk. If you don't have time to soak your beans overnight and cook them for a few hours you can cheat and use Blue Runner canned creole red beans. Oh, and don't forget to toss some andouille in that beans and rice ya'll!

Whoopie for Whoopies!!!

I had a friend that loved red velvet. I have never been big on red velvet because its a cake that can't make up its mind...its a little vanilla, a little chocolate, and for some reason you dye it red. I don't get it. Its gotten really popular though. I see red velvet ice cream, red velvet cheesecake, and at the Mississippi state fair I even saw red velvet funnel cake. Anyway, she wanted red velveet whoopie pies for her birthday. A friend and I did a lot of recipe reading to find something that would have the right texture. That is the trick with whoopie recipes...a lot of them make a flat, cookie sandwich and that's great...if you want a  cookie! But for a whoopie pie you want a fluffy cake.

We found a fantastic recipe that we paired with a mascarpone filling. Whoopies are traditionally filled with a marshmallow creme based filling. I don't like to use a marshmallow filling for two reasons:

1. Its way too stinkin' sweet.
2. When you think red velvet you think cream cheese frosting. And what is better than cream cheese frosting? Not much in my book!!!

Mascarpone is a lovely Italian (if you are from Oklahoma that is pronounced Eye-talian) cheese that comes in a tub and can be found with all the fancy schmancy cheeses at your local fancy schmancy grocery store. Don't go looking at Walmart; they don't have it. Trust me. This cheese has a light and creamy texture. It is smooth and spreadable like butter and is not as heavy as regular cream cheese. I like to spread it on warm toast...mmm...where was I? Oh, I think this is the perfect cheese this recipe because it isn't too intense, but it has a nice flavor that helps keep your filling from being ridiculously sweet.

Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

You can find the Better Homes and Gardens delicious red velvet whoopie pie recipe here. See below for the mascarpone filling (its way better than the marshmallow filling. Really!). I would like to point out two things about the BHG recipe:

 1. I always use two heaping tablespoons of cocoa to give it a little more chocolate flavor.
2. I make small whoopies and it takes 10-11 minutes for them to bake in my oven. Just be sure to test them with a toothpick and keep an eye on them the first time so you know how long it takes to bake them in your oven. I also recomment using a cookie dough scoop to scoop the batter so that the whoopies are uniform (they are easier to put together that way. Otherwise you will be hunting around for similarly shaped whoopies to put together). Use parchment or silicone mats on your pants to make your life easier.  I use silicone mats and spray them with Baker's Joy before scooping batter onto the pans. They come off perfectly every time.

Mascarpone Filling
5tbs unsalted butter
1 8oz tub mascarpone cheese
1.5tsp vanilla extract
3-4 cups of powdered sugar (according to taste)

1. Throw all of the ingredients in your stand mixer or whip up with your hand mixer until fluffy.
2. Try not to eat it before you put it on the whoopies.
3. Enjoy!

Cheap and Easy Summer Wreath

This is a cheap wreath that is ideal for spring or summer. Its easy to do and I made it for around $10 (but I already had a few of the supplies on hand). I got everything at Hobby Lobby except for the flowers (they have a nice selection at Dollar Tree) and I also got everything on sale except for the wreath (I was told they never put those on sale...but you can use the 40% coupon they have online on that). No Hobby Lobby near by? Some Wal-marts have a decent craft selection. I know they at least have the paint. Michael's and A.C. Moore should have this stuff as well.

Here is what you need:

Grapevine wreath
Wooden letter
2 colors of paint (I used Folk Art brand)
Flowers (I used four bunches from Dollar Tree)
A wooden pencil with an unused round eraser
Floral wire
Hot glue gun and sticks
Wire cutters

Okay so I didn't think to take step by step pictures. I am so bad about that. But really it is just as easy as it looks.

1. Pain your letter. I use 2 coats of paint. Once it is COMPLETELY dry, use the pencil eraser and dip it lightly into the other color and make dots on your letter. Of course, the polka dots are optional. But I like them! Just be careful not to get too much paint on the eraser or your dots might look lumpy.

2. While the dots are drying, cut flowers with wire cutters and arrange. You want to leave enough of a stem that you can tuck them into the grapevine, but you will want to cut off some length so its not poking out everywhere.

3. Once you have the flowers arranged how you want them, secure with floral wire. I wrap it around the wreath and tuck it under the leaves so it isn't visible. Again, sorry I didn't take pictures. After I secure the flowers I pick up the wreath and give it a shake to make sure they are all secure.

4. Hot glue your letter where you would like it. You could also hot glue wire to the back and secure it with floral wire instead. Since my letter was nice and light it stayed with hot glue. In fact, it has been on my door since March with no problems.

Tada! New wreath. =)

These were gifts for  friends. They loved them!

Sunrise Smoothie

I love pineapple. I think I could eat it every day. But if I want to get my husband to enjoy it, it has to be in a smoothie. This is a favorite in our house. It is another one that I came up with by throwing ingredients together, although I am sure its not original...everyone knows pineapple, orange, and banana are a winning combination! I don't usually measure, and I encourage you to play with the measurements to get the smoothie to the consistency you like.

Sunrise Smoothie Recipe

1/2 banana, frozen
1 cup fresh pineapple
1/2 cup fresh orangejuice
1/2 cup plain yogurt

Blend and enjoy!

Chocolate Covered Cherry Smoothie

I love smoothies. I love them because they are quick, healthy (if you do it right) and I can get my husband to drink them. This is a man that doesn't care for fruit (freak!). This is one of my ways of making sure he gets something besides meat and bread in his diet!

At first I strictly followed recipes. But now after making so many I have been getting pretty good at just making up smoothies based on what's in the kitchen. I have developed a few really good ones that way and I wanted to share. Here is my recipe for a chocolate covered cherry smoothie!

1 cup of cherries, pitted (I used bing cherries)
1/2 banana, frozen
1 scoop of chocolate protein powder
1/4 plain nonfat yogurt (I am sure vanilla or cherry would be good too!)
1/2-1 cup skim milk (depending on desired consistency)

Blend and enjoy!

Hurricane Season

It's summertime, ya'll! And I am sweating like a virgin at a prison rodeo. I was spoiled by four years of pleasant Connecticut summers and now I have to get used to dripping with sweat when I walk the dog at 6am.

And I am sure you are wondering why I haven't posted anything since Gerald's big 3-0. Well, it was festival season! They have a festival for EVERYTHING here or a parade. It keeps you busy. Festivals that celebrate foods (strawberries, oysters, creole tomatoes, po' boys), areas (Mid City Bayou Boogaloo, French Quarter Festival) and so on. Oh, and the parades--I had the distinct pleasure of taking pictures and doing security (ie keeping drunk people away) during the NOLA Pride parade for the Roux La La girls, all while being pretty darn drunk myself. There is just something about a celebration in the French Quarter that makes you feel the need to be publicly intoxicated. It ain't a party unless you are hungover the next day!

The Roux girls dancin' it up in the Pride parade

And I was also busy watching my favorite basketball team get to the NBA Finals. Go Thunder! I know, I live in New Orleans so I should be a Hornets fan. I don't think even the people of New Orleans are Hornets fans. I was such a dedicated Thunder fan that I even gave my cat a James Harden beard. I know I know. I really need a job. Believe me I am looking.

Fear the Beard

I have also been working hard to lose the fried chicken and daiquiri weight I gained when I moved to this state. I had kept 50lbs off for ten years and I wasn't about to gain it all back when I moved to Louisiana! I workout two hours a day and I have taken up running. I am up to six miles before I feel like puking. Woohoo! I would usually only run if I was on fire or being chased by a serial killer, so this is a great accomplishment for me. I have been inspired by two good friends of mine that have lost a lot of weight, one of which has started a wonderful Facebook page and will be starting a new blog soon. As soon as she does I will post it! Anyway, my husband and I are both back down to our healthier Connecticut weights...hopefully I will be down to a bikini weight by the fall (because down here that is when I go to the beach...not in the summer when it is too hot to enjoy it!).

Check out Jen's Facebook. She is one inspiring lady.

So the Finals are over and its going to be too damn hot before long to want to do anything outdoors. I am trying to enjoy every bit of being outside when the weather is decent, but it comes in waves. Oh, and a hurricane might be coming this week. Fortunately I will be heading out of town and will (hopefully) miss it. During our first tropical storm my poor dog was so confused...he didn't understand why he had to pee in the standing water in our backyard. It was a first for him.

But, being a former Girl Scout and former American Red Cross employee, I have prepared a hurricane kit (okay it isn't complete yet, I need to order a few things on Amazon.com but hey, I will be out of town). I found this handy website  to figure out what I would need. You can never be too careful! I am also fortunate that we can evacuate to my husband's work during a hurricane. Unfortunately our pets cannot. I have been trying to find out where I can take my pets in the event of a hurricane and I have had no luck. I am not the type of person that would just leave my furry children behind. Most likely we would pack up the necessities and head north rather than my husband's work. There really should be more information out there on where to take your pets during a weather emergency!

But anyways, summer is here and so is hurricane season. Be safe ya'll! Here is a little "Hurricane Season" by Trombone Shorty.

Chocolate Malt Cupcakes

Gerald turned 30 last month and I told him I would make whatever he wanted as a birthday treat. He loves chocolate malt balls. If we go to the movies he has to get Whoppers. If we go to get ice cream he gets a chocolate malt. Chocoalte + malt= heaven for Gerald. So naturally he wanted chocolate malt cupcakes. Challenge accepted.

I decided to do a nice moist chocolate cake with a chocolate malt buttercream. I have a fabulous chocoalte cake recipe from Baked: Baked Explorations. These guys have two cookbooks and two bakeries. I have both books, been to one of the bakeries, and have a Baked coffee cup that I adore. I trudged two miles in the pouring rain from a subway station in Brooklyn to visit their shop and it was so totally worth it. They make fantastic desserts and coffee. Whenever I am making a cake it is always from one of their books. Their cakes are moinst and delicious and the frostings are flavorful without being heavy. Oh and if you do have their books and you are wondering, yes I have made the brewer's blondies with malted milk balls for my husband (and they are freaking spectacular).

Anyways, you can tell if a chocolate cake is going to be moist and flavorful if the recipe calls for sour cream. Its just magical. And the dark brown sugar gives the cake depth. It wasn't hard for me to decide which chocolate cake recipe to use because this one is just amazing. Naturally I am too lazy to type it out, but go over here to find the cake recipe (and buy their books! Do it!). I have not made the coffee buttercream that is on the post I linked to, but I will. I love coffee in everything. I have a coffee brownie recipe that will knock your socks off. Mmmm...


Ok, so the recipe above is for a three layer cake. I think it made two and a half dozen cupcakes. Keep that in mind! I frosted these bad boys with a buttercream from the amazing Dorie Greenspan. I am dying to get her book: Baking from my Home to Yours. I haven't done it yet, so I grabbed this recipe off the internet (Okay okay I found it on Pinterest). Here is the recipe with some great instructions. There was enough to frost all of those darn cupcakes. I piped on the frosting and stuck a Whopper in the middle. Cute and delicious. Seriously one of the best cupcakes I have ever made. And I have made a loooootttttttt of cupcakes. Really. Enjoy!

Happy Mardi Gras Ya'll!

My first carnival season here in southern Louisiana is nearly over, and I have thoroughly enjoyed taking pictures, catching beads, drinking cans of Abita, and dancing on the sidewalk. So far we have been to two parades in the town we live in (Selene and Dionysus), and have gone to New Orleans for Endymion (which involved sitting in the pouring rain waiting for the parade to start. It was worth it though!), Thoth, Bacchus, and the Box of Wine parade.

We have TONS of beads and cups, and various other trinkets....

I even caught a few stuffed animals for Magnus. He deserved a special toy after I made him wear beads:

Throw me somethin' mister!

I have already been on Pinterest searching for craft ideas so I can upcycle all of these beads. I might make a few wreaths for friends and some bead trees. So far these are the crafts I have done:

Mardi Gras Wreath

Bruno helped me with my wreath...

Candle holder: leftover beads and vase and votive holder from Dollar Tree

We were invited to a party and were asked to bring something to eat. In addition to throwing together dip and a few other snacks, I of course decided to make cupcakes. I wanted to make a cupcake that would really capture the essence of the king cake. I think I came pretty close; I would just add a bit of nutmeg and maybe thin out the cinnamon and brown sugar swirl with more butter. Still, these cupcakes were pretty fabulous if I do say so myself.

KING CAKE CUPCAKES

For the cake I made a yellow cake (okay it wasn't quite yellow cake because I didn't go with all egg yokes and used whole eggs, but pretty close). I wanted something moist that I could swirl cinnamon filling throughout. FYI this recipe makes 18 cupcakes. I will try to change it so that it makes a more logical number at some point.

Cake:

2 sticks of unsalted butter

1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar

4 eggs

3/4 cup milk

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups all purpose flour

2tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

Filling: 

 1 cup packed brown sugar

1 tbs ground cinnamon

Pinch of salt

3 tbs unsalted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line muffin pans. Stir together all ingredients for filling (brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, melted butter) until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.
2. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the milk, mixing just until incorporated. Fill muffin cups a third of the way. Add tablespoon of cinnamon mixture and swirl with toothpick. Top with more batter until muffin cups are approximately 2/3 full. Top with additional cinnamon mixture and swirled (if desired--I like lots of cinnamon goodness!).

   

   Swirl Cinnamon into Batter

   
   

   

   Top with more batter until 2/3 full. Add more cinnamon filling if desired.

4.  Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted. Cool completely before frosting.

 

Vanilla Cream Cheese Buttercream

3 cups confectioners' sugar

3/4 cup butter

3 oz cream cheese

1 tsp vanilla extract

 2 tbs half and half

In a stand mixer, mix sugar, butter, and cream cheese until smooth. Stir in vanilla. Add half and half, a tablespoon at a time, until creamy and at the consistency you want.

Mmmm...frosting

Decorating note:

I am too cheap to spend $8 on a jar of colored sugar to decorate my cupcakes. It just ain't gonna happen. So, I whipped up some colored sugar. Its easy enough, especially if you have liquid food coloring. You just add a few drops and stir. If, however, you are like me and only use the Wilton gel colors, you might find that gel does not mix smoothly with sugar. Got vodka? Add a few drops and it will smooth those little lumps of color gel. And don't worry, your sprinkles won't taste like vodka and you won't get your kids drunk. But don't take my word for it...hell I don't even have any kids. 

Tada! Yummy.

Christmas Crafting and Baking Spectacular

Happy New Year Ya'll!!!

It has been a while since I have posted. The holidays and Pinterest have been taking up much of my spare time! Pinterest has caused me to spend a lot of time at my local Hobby Lobby and give out a lot of homemade gifts for Christmas.

It even helped me with my Halloween costume.

I was black swan for Halloween. I made the tutu myself!

I made hair bows and tutus for my nieces for Christmas, toy boxes for the nephews, cranberry liquor for my girlfriends, and lots of baked goods for everyone. 

And I do mean LOTS of baked goods. I was out of control. Ask my husband. Flour was flying, my mixer was trying to burn out, and the dog was scared to come in the kitchen. But I was determined to use up all of my chocolate, powdered sugar, and get the baking out of my system for a while because moving to Louisiana has made my pants smaller, and we have sworn to be extra careful until Gerald's 30th birthday (March 21) when we will relax the rules a bit and I will make him whatever he wants. So, here is what I made:

Grasshopper Cake (chocolate cake with chocolate mint ganache and mint buttercream)

The recipe comes from one of my Baked cookbooks (New Frontiers in Baking). The result was a moist flavorful cake that wasn't overwhelmingly sweet or rich. It was a hit!

Gingerbread Whoopies with Nutmeg Brown Butter Filling

I took the recipe for the whoopies from the McCormick spice website. Rather than using their recommended lemon creme filling, I made a basic brown butter frosting and added nutmeg to taste. I am sure cinnamon would also be good. The whoopies were more cookie-like than a traditional whoopie, but it was a great flavor--especially for people that don't like their gingerbread too spicy.

Nutella Cookies

The recipe for these can be found here. I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of hazelnut and therefore not big on Nutella, but these cookies are friggin' awesome. They are rich and brownie like. Great with milk!

The "Baked" Brownie

The recipe for this brownie comes from the same book as the grasshopper cake. Can you tell I love this book? There isn't a bad recipe in eitehr of their books. When I lived in Connecticut I even checked out their shop in Brooklyn. It involved a two mile walk in the pouring rain but it was totally worth it. They have the best coffee, brownies, blondies, and bars ever. Period.

These brownies are delicious. Can't you just see their fudgy goodness in the picture? This is definitely one of my favorite brownie recipes.

Soft Sugar Cookies

The recipe for these cookies can be found on this blog. I made these for my brothers' kids and they were a hit. These are soft and chewy just like the ones you buy at a bakery. I did make one change; I added the powdered sugar until the frosting was the desired consistency rather than using the recommended amount. I think this recipe uses too much powdered sugar.

Chocolate Cupcakes with Peppermint Cream Cheese Buttercream

For the cake I use a Texas sheet cake recipe that belonged to a friend's family. The recipe for the frosting, however, can be found here. I already knew the cake would be good because I have made it several times, but this was my first time making this frosting. This frosting is SUPER yummy. I licked the bowl clean after I had frosted the cupcakes. Mmm mmm.

Chocolate Nutella Cupcakes

For this recipe I used the same Texas sheet cake recipe (I was going to make a vanilla cake but I was running out of time) and this Nutella swiss meringue buttercream recipe. Swiss meringue takes lots of patience. Lots and lots and loooottttss of patience. It didn't get quite as fluffy as I had hoped, but it was still light and airy and complemented the cupcakes nicely.

And finally...

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have been on a quest for the perfect chocolate chip cookie, so I tested out the classic Neiman Marcus recipe found here.  It was pretty good, but not as good as this recipe (my #1 so far). These are definitely a close second. I also made a peanut butter lovers cookie, but I forgot to take a picture of it. I am big on peanut butter but my husband isn't so I don't make sweets involving peanut butter very often. These peanut butter cookies have a fantastic texture. One of my friends described them as little pillows of heaven. =)

Well, that was all the baking I did in roughly two days. Pretty much everything was eaten, and it was all a hit. This was the first year in a long time that I could drive home for the holidays, so I really went all out with the homemade goodies!