samoa cake (or cupcakes)

samoa cake (or cupcakes)

2 cups  sugar

1 3/4 c. flour

3/4 c. cocoa 

1 1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

2 eggs

1 c. milk

1/2 c. oil

1 t. vanilla

2 t. coconut flavoring

1 c. coconut, packed

1 (scant) c. boiling water

preheat oven to 350° and line 24 muffin tins with cupcake liners.

in a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

add in eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and coconut flavoring. mix well.

fold in coconut, then add boiling water.  (batter will be very thin!!)

pour batter into 9x13.

bake at 350° for 28-32 mins.

salted caramel buttercream frosting

2 sticks butter, softened

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. caramel topping

4 c. powdered sugar

1 t. salt

cream butter until fluffy.

add in vanilla extract and caramel topping.  

add powdered sugar and salt and mix until smooth.  

if icing is still too thin add a bit more powdered sugar

wait until cake is completely cool & frost!

enjoyed from http://spice-is-nice.com/2011/06/30/samoas-cupcakes/

Hometown

I love this place.

Mini Chimi's (guest post!)

Mini Chimi's (guest post by Diane Holyoak)

Beef chunks, shredded
1 jar pace picante sauce (medium hot)
Diced green chilies (as many for your taste)
Grated cheese (pepper jack or mexiblend or just regular cheddar)
"Baca" red chili sauce

Mix ingredients all together.

Cut large flour tortilla in pie shaped wedges and put small amount of mixture, roll up (sort of tricky) and secure with a tooth pick.
Can be frozen at this point and cooked later - or fry in hot oil now - remove toothpick and turn til brown all the way around - enjoy!

Grandpa's Salsa (guest post!)

Grandpa's Salsa (guest post by Diane Holyoak) 
1 qt. tomatoes
1 pint green chili, diced
2 med. onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 heaping T. honey
1 tsp. sugar
3/4 tsp cumin 
1 T. oregano
1 T. red chili peppers 

3/4 T. accent
garlic salt, salt & pepper to taste

Mix all together & chill - gets better as it sits & blends flavors

stuffed baguette (guest post!)

mystilettosanddiapers.blogspot.com

Stuffed Baguette (guest post by Amy Barberio!)

Makes one 12-inch long baguette; about 24 slices

Ingredients:

• Baguette about 14-inch long

• 8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 4 oz fresh goat cheese
• 1 large garlic clove, minced (I used 2)
• ½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
• 2 oz finely chopped spicy salami  (I used pepperoni)
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

Slice off both ends of the baguette and cut the loaf in half. Using a long thin knife and working from the both ends, hollow the baguette out leaving about ½-inch thick crust all around.

Using an electric mixer beat the cream cheese until smooth and lump-free. Beat in the goat cheese and garlic. Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Working again from the both ends, fill the baguette with the cheese mixture. Pack the filling tight.  Wrap the stuffed baguette very well in plastic and refrigerate for at least two hours and up to two days. Right before serving, slice the baguette into ½-inch thick slices and serve. For the most neat looking slices, treat it as a cheesecake – each time slice it with a hot dry knife.

Frito Crap (guest post!)

Frito Crap (guest post by Bev Turley)
1 c. sugar
1 c. corn syrup
1 c. peanut butter
1 bag fritos (small fritos, not scoops)
bring sugar and corn syrup to boil. once it starts to boil remove from heat and add peanut butter.
stir together until peanut butter melts (I like to use chunky peanut butter) then, pour over the bag of Fritos.
cool on a cookie sheet sprayed with pam!
let it cool........then EAT UP!!

blueberry brown sugar cookies

blueberry brown sugar cookies

1 3/4 c. white whole wheat flour

1/4 t. salt

1/2 t. baking powder

1 1/2 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. butter/margarine

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg, beaten

1 t. vanilla

1 T. milk

3/4 c. fresh blueberries

whisk flour, salt, baking powder & cinnamon together.

in another bowl, cream butter & brown sugar.

add egg & vanilla and mix.

add dry ingredients until mixed well.

add milk, then fold in blueberries.

roll into small balls, flatten slightly, bake at 375 degrees for 15-18 mins.

magic salad

"puff the magic" salad

my kids named this because the yogurt starts out tart, then sweetens the whole thing! 

[And because of the obvious puff & their love of Puff the Magic Dragon ;-) ]

20 oz. can pineapple chunks [drained]
2 c. FUNmallows [fruit flavored marshmallows]
16 oz. plain nonfat greek yogurt
1/2 c. coconut flakes

mix pineapple, mallows, & yogurt together.
refrigerate for at least 30 minutes....the longer the better.
top with coconut before serving!

baja chicken salad

baja chicken salad

3 chicken breasts, shredded

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & finely chopped

1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro

1/4 c. diced red onion

1/2 c. plain yogurt [i used "greek"]

1 T. spicy brown mustard

salt & pepper to taste

mix ingredients until well blended.
refrigerate until ready to serve.
[remember, the longer they sit together the more the flavors meld together....the yummier it is!]

banana PB muffins

banana peanut butter muffins

4 ripe bananas, mashed

1/3 c. applesauce [or a container of fruity baby food...I used pears]

1 1/4 c. white whole wheat flour

3/4 t. baking soda

1/4 t. salt

2 T. butter, softened

1/3 c. brown sugar

2 egg whites

1/2 t. vanilla

8 T. peanut butter

cream butter & sugar until smooth.

add egg whites, bananas, applesauce, vanilla, & peanut butter.

mix until well blended.

combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.

add flour mixture to wet ingredients until combined, don't over mix it!

fill paper cup 3/4 way full in muffin tin.

bake at 325 degrees for 25 minutes.

adapted from skinnytaste

guacamole...Chipotle style

copycat guacamole

2-3 ripe avocados, diced & mashed

1/3 c. chopped red onion

1 finely diced jalapeno

1/2 a bunch of chopped cilantro

3 T. white vinegar

a pinch of salt

mix well & chill.

I swear to you, you will forget you are NOT actually at Chipotle.

It is that close! It's incredible.