Carrot Cake Cookie Sandwiches

I love to use coupons when I shop.  I'm no extreme couponer by any means, but it's become a personal challenge--a game--for me.  Each week I aim to buy everything that we need and come in under budget.  Thanks to coupons, I've been able to achieve that goal most weeks. 

I do my grocery shopping on Friday mornings and when Mike gets home from work I'm excited to show him the deals I got that day.  I show him products and have him guess what I paid for them.  Cheesy, I know...but it's fun to see how much money we're saving.

Sometimes I'll buy items that are on sale for an irresistible price, but are products that I don't typically purchase.  One of those items was a box of Carrot Cake mix.  I don't remember what I paid for it, but I know it was cheap.  However, because Mike doesn't like cake, I did not want to make an entire cake for myself. 

So there the cake mix sat. 

Until I saw this recipe.  I knew I hit the jackpot when Mike took a bite of the cookie sandwich and mumbled "mmmm".  I intended to share these cookies with my parents one Sunday, but Mike and I enjoyed them too much to share.  Oops!  At least that gives me an excuse to make them again...


Carrot Crinkle Cookie Sandwiches

Makes 10

Ingredients:
6 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 eggs
1 (18.25 oz) box Carrot Cake mix
flour, as needed
1/2 cup powdered sugar

3 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3 Tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/4 cup powdered sugar

1.  In a large bowl, mix butter, eggs, and carrot cake mix until no lumps are left.  (*If needed, add flour 1/8 cup at a time to achieve a batter that can be rolled into balls.  I needed to add nearly 1/2 cup of flour.)

2.  Roll dough into 1 inch balls and coat in powdered sugar.

3.  Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper.

4.  Bake cookies at 375 for 8-10 minutes, until the tops have cracked and the tops are mostly set. 

5.  Cool cookies for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

6.  While the cookies are cooling, cream butter and cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth.

7.  Beat in vanilla and cinnamon.

8.  Add powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth.

9.  Spread frosting onto one cookie and then top with another, pressing down slightly to adhere cookies.

Serve immediately.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge--bring to room temperature before serving.

Source:  The Novice Chef

Puppy Chow Bars

By now, I'm sure you are aware of my love of puppy chow. It's a favorite of mine and Mike's.  Judging by the way my fellow youth leaders devoured the bowl I made for our recent retreat, it seems to be a favorite of a lot of people.

I've made a few variations of puppy chow, and a couple different kinds of marshmallow treats.  I wondered what would happen if I were to combine the two loved snacks.  The result?  A delicious bar that tastes like puppy chow without the mess of powdered sugar all over. These bars were fun to make and eat, not to mention they tasted fantastic!  I'll certainly be making them again.

Puppy Chow Bars

Makes 1 8x8" pan, about 9 servings

Ingredients:
1 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
powdered sugar

1.  In a microwave safe bowl, combine peanut butter, butter, and chocolate chips.

2.  Microwave for 1 minute and stir until smooth.

3.  Stir in vanilla.

4.  Pour cereal into a large mixing bowl.  Pour chocolate mixture over the cereal and stir until cereal is coated completely.

5.  Press cereal mixture into an 8x8" baking dish.

6.  Sprinkle powdered sugar over bars.

7.  Let the bars set for about 1 hour before cutting them into squares.

These bars are best eaten the day they're made.  Any leftovers can be stored in an airtight container.

German Style Soft Pretzels

"Delicious."

"The best thing you've ever made."

"You should sell these they're so good!"

"These taste just like those pretzels you buy at a pretzel stand!"

Yes, seriously, those are just a few of the comments that Mike made after trying one of these soft pretzels!

This month my Secret Recipe Club assignment was Lacy's blog, NYC Eats.  Lacy features restaurant reviews and local (NYC) foodie events as well as recipes on her blog.  I selected a few recipes from her blog and I actually made 2 of them.  I decided to feature the pretzels for this month's reveal because they were so delicious!

One thing I really loved about the pretzels (besides the taste) was the ease of making them.  For this recipe, you don't have to boil a pot of water with baking soda to dip the pretzels in.  Lacy's recipe just had me dip the pretzels in room temperature water, so eliminating the boiling water was a nice surprise.  

I made these pretzels for Mike and I to enjoy for a Friday night movie night.  We love to pop some popcorn, crack open an icy cold drink, and relax on the couch with a good movie.  We got lucky because we enjoyed both popcorn and pretzels!  Plus, for dinner I decided to wrap pretzel dough around a couple hot dogs.  (Allow a couple extra minutes of baking time if you wrap hot dogs.)  Mike is already asking me when I'll make these pretzels again!

German Style Soft Pretzels

Makes 8

Ingredients:
1 cup warm milk (about 110 degrees)
2-1/4 teaspoons yeast
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2-1/2 cups flour
2 Tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
3 Tablespoons baking soda
coarse sea salt (or pretzel salt)
butter for brushing on top

1.  Pour the warm milk into a large bowl and sprinkle with the yeast.  Let it sit for about 2 minutes.

2.  Mix in the brown sugar and 1 cup of flour.

3.  Melt the 2 Tablespoons of butter and stir into the mixture.

4.  Add the remaining flour and salt.  Mix to form a slightly sticky dough.

5.  Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough is smooth but still slightly sticky.

6.  Shape the dough into a ball, place in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place to rise until the dough doubles (about 1 hour). 

7.  Punch the dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.

8.  Divide the dough into 8 pieces.  Roll and stretch each piece into a 20-25 inch rope.

9.  Form each piece into a pretzel shape by forming a U-shape, then holding the ends of the rope, cross them over each other and press lightly onto the bottom of the pretzel.

10.  In a shallow baking dish (or pie tin), dissolve 3 Tablespoons baking soda into 1-1/2 cups water.

11.  Dip each pretzel into the baking soda water and place formed pretzels on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and lightly sprayed with cooking spray. 

12.  Sprinkle pretzels with salt.

13.  Bake pretzels at 450 for 8-10 minutes, until golden.

14.  Remove pretzels from the oven and brush with melted butter while hot.

Store any leftovers in an airtight container.

*To make pretzel dogs, follow pretzel instructions up to step #8.  Then wrap a dough rope around each hot dog.  Continue with steps #10-14, but bake for 10-12 minutes.

Source:  NYC Eats

Peach Cinnamon Rolls

We're still able to get fresh peaches at our farmer's market and I plan to make the most of the fresh summer fruit...especially because it feels like fall today.  One of my favorite things about where I live is the local farmer's market.  It's open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and while I haven't been able to go as much as I'd like this year, it's still fun to go.  I enjoy seeing what all the different vendors have to offer.  There are booths full of fresh fruits and veggies, fresh baked goods, doggy bagels, donuts, coffee, flavored honey sticks, flowers, and (my favorite) fresh hot tamales!  Usually the center aisle is lined with various street performers, and it's fun to watch and listen to them while shopping.

You know how much I enjoy taking a loved recipe and adding a little something to make it special.  Last week, I offered to bring cinnamon rolls for our youth leader's retreat breakfast.  I made some regular cinnamon rolls, but I decided to add some fruity flair to others by putting diced peaches into the cinnamon rolls.  I loved the addition of the fruit and the cinnamon rolls were a hit with the other leaders.

The cinnamon rolls were fantastic on their own, but I decided to top a few with my dad's homemade peach jam to bring out the peach flavor.  It was delicious!

 

Peach Cinnamon Rolls

Makes 20 rolls

You will need:
Dough:
1 cup warm milk, 110 degrees
2-1/2 teaspoons yeast
1/2 cup sugar, divided
2 eggs
1/3 cup margarine, melted
4-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt

Filling:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2-1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup margarine, softened
2 large ripe peaches, peeled and diced

Icing:
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt


Peach Jam, if desired


1.  Pour warm milk and 1 Tablespoon sugar into the bowl of your mixer and sprinkle the yeast on top of it.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until frothy. 

2.  Stir in eggs and margarine until well mixed.

3.  Add in the flour, salt, and remaining sugar and knead for 5 minutes.

4.  Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a kitchen towel and let it rise for 1 hour, or until double. 

5.  When the dough has risen, punch it down and let it sit on a floured surface for 10 minutes.

6.  Roll dough out into a 16x21" rectangle and spread softened margarine on top of it.

7.  Combine brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over dough.  Sprinkle peaches over dough.

8.  Roll the dough up length-wise and cut rolls into approximately 1" slices.

9.  Place rolls in a greased 9x13" pan.  Cover and let them rise for 30 minutes. 

10.  Bake at 350 for 15 minutes--be careful not to over-bake!  (But also be sure they are baked all the way through, I've found the rolls in the center of my pan may still be doughy after 15 minutes.)

11.  While rolls are baking, combine icing ingredients.  Spread over warm rolls.

Store cinnamon rolls in an airtight container.

Nutella Banana Bread

After a summer of unusually hot temperatures, the cooler temperatures we've had for the past couple days have been a welcome sign of fall!  I was up north this past weekend and spent most of the day in long pants and a sweatshirt...fall is coming!  I'm so ready for the colors of the leaves, fall decorations (I made a new fall wreath last night), hot apple cider and donuts, and apples.  Plus, the cooler temperatures mean I don't feel so bad about turning on the oven and spending a day baking!

I always have bananas in the house and the summer the temperatures were so warm that our bananas often turned black before we were able to eat them.  That means that I have a bag full of bananas in my freezer waiting to be baked into something delicious.  I enjoy making banana bread and I love the addition of the Nutella swirl in this bread.  It adds a delicious sweetness to the bread and has moved this bread to one of my favorite banana bread recipes.

Nutella Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf, about 16 slices

Ingredients:
2 cups flour
3/4 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/4 cups mashed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup milk
3/4 cup Nutella

1.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.

2.  In a separate bowl, combine butter and sugar and beat until fluffy.

3.  Add eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition.

4.  Add bananas, vanilla, and milk and mix well.

5.  Pour in the flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.

6.  Spoon the Nutella into a small bowl and microwave for 20 seconds to soften it.

7.  Add 1 cup of the banana bread batter to the Nutella and mix well.

8.  Pour half the banana bread batter into a greased bread pan.  Pour Nutella mixture over batter and top with remaining banana bread batter.  Swirl batters together with a knife .

9.  Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

Cool completely before cutting and serving.

Oreo Marshmallow Treats

 

One of my favorite things about creating and making recipes is the opportunity to change it up and make it your own.  I especially like to change up recipes that are usually made pretty much the same every time, like making S'mores Puppy Chow or Funfetti Puppy Chow instead of basic Puppy Chow.  I've also made a few variations on Rice Krispies treats like Cookie Dough Marshmallow Treats and Cookie Dough Scotcheroos.  

I've been on an Oreo kick lately.  I bought a package a couple of months ago to make some Snowman Cookies and I've been hopelessly addicted ever since then.  My favorite way to enjoy an Oreo is just to eat it plain, but then I had the idea to add Oreos to Rice Krispies Treats.  And what a grand idea it was!  I'm also trying to incorporate the use of coconut oil into my diet so I decided to replace the butter with coconut oil.  It added just a slight hint of coconut to the treats, but I thought it was a fantastic, and slightly healthier, addition!

Oreo Marshmallow Treats

Makes 1 9x13" pan, 16-20 servings

Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons coconut oil
1 (10 ounce) package regular sized marshmallows
6 cups Rice Krispies cereal
10 Oreo cookies, broken into pieces (I used chocolate filled, but any kind of Oreo would be delicious)

1.  In a microwave safe bowl, heat coconut oil and marshmallows on high for 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. 

2.  Stir until smooth, returning to microwave in 30 second intervals if necessary.

3.  Add cereal to marshmallow mixture and stir until well coated.

4.  Add broken Oreo cookies and stir until just combined.

5.  Press mixture into a greased 9x13" pan.  Cool before cutting and serving.

Texas Caviar

I love to get recipes from friends because that usually means that they are time-tested and loved!  I first had this dip at my friend Alecia's house.  She served it with quesadillas and I could not stop eating the Texas Caviar.  I knew I had to have the recipe!  I made this dip as my contribution to a family potluck when we were camping earlier this summer.  It was a huge hit, as most people had not had it before.

The sugar and apple cider vinegar add a sweetness that is completely unexpected from a bowl full of vegetables.  I found myself eating this dip for a snack, side dish, and as a meal itself!  Yes, it is just that good.  With football season starting up, this is a great dip for tailgating.  The dip makes enough to feed a large crowd, and if you're lucky you'll have enough leftover that you can enjoy the leftovers for lunch like I did!


Texas Caviar

1 (10 ounce) bag frozen sweet corn
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1/2 colored pepper, diced,
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped green onion
1 cup chopped white onion
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil

1.  In a large bowl, mix together the corn, beans, peas, pepper, celery, green onions, and white onions.  Set aside.

2.  Pour vinegar, sugar, and oil in a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil.  As soon as it boils, remove from heat and let it cool.

3.  Pour cooled dressing over the vegetables.

4.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

5.  Drain excess dressing before serving.

Serve with tortilla chips.

Recipe from my friend, Alecia

Foodie Pen Pal

It's hard to believe that it's the last day of August already.  Summer has just flown by, and I was so busy, I still feel like there's so much I want to do in summer.  Like go to the beach...we live 15 minutes from the beach yet I've only been there 2 times this summer.  Fail!  We've been super busy working around our house and we've been camping for a few weekends.  This summer was fun, but went by way too quickly!

One positive about today being the last day of August is that it's reveal day for Foodie Pen Pal. This month, I was sent a fantastic box from Stephanie.  She visited her local health food store to pick out some items for me and she did a great job!

These snacks were enjoyed at work!  I had the licorice and I was super impressed with it--I read the ingredients list first and was a bit wary, but it was delicious!  I haven't tried the truffles yet, but I really liked the Ginger Snap Almonds.  They were a great mid-morning snack and I loved the ginger.

I'm really excited to try the Soba pasta.  I've wanted to try it for a while now and now Stephanie's given me the opportunity.  It is on the menu for next week!

Ah, the sun cups.  Stephanie must know that I adore PB cups, so these were a great choice for me.  I also liked the spearmint gum.  I ate some during church last week and the flavor was perfect.  Stephanie also included a handful of flavored honey candies.  Mike and I both really liked them!

Thank you for a great box, Stephanie.  I think you'll need to go back to the health food store :)

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Are you interested in participating in Foodie Pen Pals?  Here's some important info for you!

-On the 5th of every month, you will receive your penpal pairing via email. It will be your responsibility to contact your penpal and get their mailing address and any other information you might need like allergies or dietary restrictions.
-You will have until the 15th of the month to put your box of goodies in the mail. On the last day of the month, you will post about the goodies you received from your penpal! 
-The boxes are to be filled with fun foodie things, local food items or even homemade treats! The spending limit is $15. The box must also include something written. This can be anything from a note explaining what’s in the box, to a fun recipe…use your imagination!
-You are responsible for figuring out the best way to ship your items depending on their size and how fragile they are. (Don’t forget about flat rate boxes!)
-Foodie Penpals is open to blog readers as well as bloggers. If you’re a reader and you get paired with a blogger, you are to write a short guest post for your penpal to post on their blog about what you received. If two readers are paired together, neither needs to worry about writing a post for that month. 
-Foodie Penpals is open to US & Canadian residents.  Please note, Canadian Residents will be paired with other Canadians only. We’ve determined things might get too slow and backed up if we’re trying to send foods through customs across the border from US to Canada and vice versa. 

 

If you’re iinterested in participating for September, please CLICK HERE to fill out the participation form and read the terms and conditions.

You must submit your information by September 4th as pairings will be emailed on September 5th!

Cheddar Rolls

These are the rolls that I made to serve the Mango BBQ Pulled Pork on a couple weeks ago.  These rolls were perfect for pulled pork because they are sturdy enough to hold up to the juices.  They were simple to make and the cheddar in the rolls added a great flavor.  The original recipe calls for jalapeno peppers to be added as well but since I didn't have any, I omitted those.  I think they would be a great addition though.  These Cheddar Rolls were perfect for cold sandwiches and I know they would make a great burger bun as well.  I think these will be my go-to roll for pulled pork sandwiches!

Cheddar Rolls

Makes 8 rolls

Ingredients:

 

1 cup lukewarm water

2-1/4 teaspoons yeast

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 eggs

3 Tablespoons sugar

3-1/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

8 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded

3 jalapenos, seeded and chopped (optional)

 

1.  Pour warm water into the bowl of your stand mixer and sprinkle yeast on top.  Let it sit for 5-10 minutes, until frothy.

 

2.  Add the olive oil, 1 egg, and sugar to the bowl and mix.

 

3.  Add the flour, salt, and shredded cheddar cheese and mix on low speed with a dough hook until the dough holds together, about 2 minutes.

 

4.  Increase the speed to medium and continue to knead the dough for 5 minutes.

 

5.  Cover the dough and let it rise until doubled, about 1-1/2 hours.

 

6.  Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured workspace.  Divide dough in half and then divide each half into 4 pieces. 

 

7.  Roll dough into rounds and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand.  Place on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each roll.

 

8.  Cover dough with a damp towel and let it rise for 20 minutes plus oven preheating time.

 

9.  Whisk the remaining egg with 1 Tablespoon of water.  Brush over each roll.

 

10.  Bake rolls at 350 for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown.

 

Allow the rolls to cool at least 10 minutes before slicing and serving them. 

 

These rolls freeze well.  (I made mine a few days before our dinner and froze them until the day I needed them.  I let them thaw on the counter and they tasted fresh.)  Store any leftovers in an airtight container, or freeze.

Source: Confections of a Foodie Bride

Slow Cooker Mango BBQ Pulled Pork

A couple of weeks ago, Mike and I had some very special guests over for dinner.  Almost 2 years ago, my best friend married the love of her life, a man she met in Romania.  They met on a mission trip nearly 10 years ago and dated long distance.  Then, in 2009, he was granted a visa so he could come here and they could get married.  I’m ecstatic for my friend of course, but her husband moved a long way from his family.  After a lot of planning, his parents and brother were able to come here for a 3 week visit.  I’ve spent time with this family during my trips to Romania, so I was thrilled that they would be visiting our home.  I wanted to make a meal that we would all enjoy, but it needed to be something that required a small amount of work because I had to work the day they were coming over.

When cooking for a crowd, one of the easiest recipes I can think of to serve is pulled pork. The hands-on time is minimal and if you use your crock pot, the meat can cook while you’re at work or preparing other aspects of the meal.  Of course, the delicious aroma of the pork filling your kitchen is an added bonus.

I love mangoes so when I saw a recipe for mango BBQ sauce, I knew I had to try it.  The mango flavor is subtle, but just enough.  I served the pulled pork on homemade cheese buns (look for that recipe on Wednesday!)  Everyone really enjoyed the meal.  We had plenty of leftovers that Mike and I have enjoyed for other meals.  My friend who watched Champ last weekend declared the pulled pork “awesome”—I’d have to agree with her!

Slow Cooker Mango BBQ Pulled Pork

16-20 servings

Ingredients:
4lb pork loin
8 ounces Pepsi
2 mangoes, peeled and diced, pits reserved
1 bottle BBQ sauce (original flavor)

1.  Place pork loin and mango pits in your crock pot.

2.  Pour Pepsi over the pork.

3.  Cook pork on low for 7-8 hours.

4.  While the pork is cooking, puree the diced mangoes.

5.  In a bowl, combine puree mangoes and BBQ sauce.

6.  When the pork is completely cooked, shred it with 2 forks.

7.  Pour mango BBQ sauce over the shredded pork and continue cooking in the crock pot for 30 more minutes.

Serve warm pork on buns.

Inspired by: Little Kitchen Big Flavors