Apple Pancakes

These pancakes are perfect for a crisp fall morning. There is no better way to describe them.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
2 tablespoon brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
dash of salt
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon butter, melted and cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup sweet apple, finely chopped

Directions:
In a medium bow, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl combine milk, egg, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. It's okay if mix has some lumps; you don't want to overmix. Fold in apple.

Grease a skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Pour 1/4 cup batter on the skillet. Cook until small bubbles form on the edges of the pancakes, about 1 or 2 minutes, then flip. Cook other side until golden brown, about 1 minute. Repeat with remaining batter.

Serve with maple syrup.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Apple Recipes:
Baked Apple Chips
Savory Apples Stuffed with Sage and Sausage
An Apple Cider Birthday Cake
Apple Cider Cookies with Spiced Rum Glaze
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting
Delicious Apple Pie 
Apple Rings!
Peanut Butter Baked Apples

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Between my husband and the dog, peanut butter has become a staple in the house. So much so that I buy the huge 5 pound jar. A few weeks ago we ran out and it wasn't in the grocery budget to stock up on it. Eric and Arya had to go two whole weeks without their peanut butter, and I got plenty of complaints from Eric and sad eyes from Arya as she tried to give me her Kong toy (which usually gets filled with peanut butter). So when I finally bought a jar, Arya got her Kong full of peanut butter and Eric got these amazing peanut butter pancakes.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup water (or milk, if you prefer. I actually like water better)
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Heat griddle or skillet to medium heat. Grease with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. In a large bowl, combine water, peanut butter, egg, oil, and vanilla extract. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until well-combined.Fold in chocolate chips.

Pour 1/4 cup portions onto the griddle or pan. Cook until little bubbles appear, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side until brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Serve with butter or syrup, if so desired.

Peanut butter chocolate chip pancakes, bacon, and eggs with cheese, kale, and bacon

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Breakfast Recipes:
Blueberry Muffins
French Toast in a Mug
Homemade Hash Browns
Individual Bacon and Cheese Quiches
Monkey Bread Muffins
Only the Best Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Oatmeal
Quiche in a Mug
Strawberry Chocolate Chip Muffins
Sweet Buns Three Ways: Cherry, Blueberry, and Cream Cheese 

Cannoli Dip

Eric's parents often have grocery store cannoli (while delicious, far from the real deal) at their house and Eric never fails to snag one when we visit. Every time he wonders out loud, "I wonder how hard it would be to make these," which is code for "Krissy, will you make these for me?" 

Of course, I did--well, partially. I made the filling to serve as a dip and cinnamon-sugar pastries (Eric's all time favorite baked good) to go with it. I didn't expect the cannoli filling to be so easy to make or so addictive. Next time I will have to attempted to make the cannoli shells too.

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
16 ounces of ricotta cheese
4 tablespoons of powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk, optional
1/3 cup chocolate chips

Directions:
First, you need to strain the liquid out of the ricotta. Usually you do this by wrapping the ricotta in cheese cloth and gently squeezing out the excess liquid. I don't have cheese cloth so I set a couple sheets of paper towel in the bottom of a mesh colander, spread the cheese on top and with my hand pressed down on it. Then I let it sit and drain for 15 or 20 minutes.

Once the ricotta is strained, place it, the sugar, and the extract into a food processor and process for 3 to 4 minutes or until the mixture is smooth. I added a tablespoon of milk to thin the filling just a little. You don't have to do this--or you could add more if you so desired.

Pour the filling into your desired container, sprinkle with the chocolate chips, and serve with pastries, graham crackers, or anything you so desire.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Dessert Ideas:
Smores Pie
Caramelitas
Creamsicle Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chocolate Swirl Cake (Made with Swiss Cake Rolls)
Yummy Butterscotch Cookies

Malted Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Whoppers a.k.a. malted milk balls. I plan on attempting to make some myself in the near future, but for now it's malted chocolate chip cookies. I must admit, it was difficult not to just eat the batter. And Eric kept sneaking into the kitchen and stealing them from my wire rack, almost as fast as I was making them. We are both definitely fans of the malted chocolate chip cookie.

Recipe slightly adapted from here. 

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup malted milk powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips (I used chocolate chunks just because that's what I had on hand)

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk together malted milk powder, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and combine. Gradually stir in dry ingredients until well combined. Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover dough and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Scoop out a rounded tablespoon of dough, drop on cookie sheet, and slightly flatten with a fork, spatula, or your fingers. If you want prettier cookies, roll the dough into a ball before slightly flattening. Space cookie about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges turn a light golden brown.

Allow cookies to cool on cookie sheet for a couple of minutes then transfer to a wire rack.

Arya keeping me company while I cook

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Cookie Recipes:
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting
Brown Sugar Cookies
Baileys White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Creamsicle Chocolate Chip Cookies (Cream Cheese Cake Mix Recipe)
Smores Cookies!
Soft Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
Spiced Rum Brown Butter Cookies 
Yummy Butterscotch Cookies

Cadbury Egg Bark (with homemade Cadbury Egg Recipe)

Eric licked his plate. That was how much he loved this Cadbury Egg Bark.

Easter candy is my all time favorite candy. Jelly beans, robin eggs, Cadbury eggs . . . I could eat my weight in the sugary goodness. So of course I bought us some Cadbury eggs, and I was kind of shocked by how expensive they had gotten. However, that only inspired me to make my own--which is surprisingly and remarkably easy! But I was too lazy to make them into eggs so I made them into bark. But this recipe will work to make eggs (see links at bottom of post).

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
3 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Yellow food coloring
12 ounces Cadbury milk chocolate (you can use other chocolate--I used Nestle, but I wished I would
     have used Cadbury), divided

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper.

Place 6 ounces of the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Pour the melted chocolate on the waxed paper. Using a rubber spatula, spread the chocolate out to an 8x8 square (approximately--mine turned out more rectangle than square). Refrigerator for about 1 hour or until chocolate is hard.

While chocolate hardens, make creme. With an electric mixer, cream the corn syrup, butter, and vanilla together in a medium bowl. Sift the powdered sugar and beat until well combined.

Place half of the creme in a second bowl. Add yellow food coloring (I used 5 drops) and combine.


Spread white creme over the hardened chocolate using a rubber spatula. Spread yellow creme over white creme using a rubber spatula. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes.


Place the remaining 6 ounces of the chocolate into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds, stir, and repeat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Spread melted chocolate over the creme. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

With a knife, cut bark into squares. Store in an airtight container in the fridge.

This link uses the same recipe to make Cadbury eggs using a mold.
This link uses the same recipe and doesn't require a mold.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Easter Recipes:
How to Dye Easter Eggs with Kool Aid
Cupcakes Baked Inside An Easter Egg
Chocolate Bunnies Made with Edible Clay

Caramelitas

Eric keeps taking a spoon to my jar of homemade caramel sauce and I knew if I didn't make these caramelitas soon, I wasn't going to have any caramel left to make them. Obviously, we are both big caramel fans, which makes it incredibly strange that neither of us have had a caramelita before. Needless to say, we both loved them. Eric's not even sulking that I used up the rest of the caramel sauce making them. In fact, he wants me to make more so I can make more of these bars!

Recipe adapted from here.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 stick butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1 cup quick oats
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup homemade or store bought caramel sauce
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8x8-inch baking dish with tin foil then grease generously with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, vanilla, and brown sugar. Pour in flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Stir until well combined. Pour half the mixture into the prepared dish and smooth with a rubber spatula (Don't worry if it looks like you won't have enough dough--this concerned me at first, too, but it all worked out).

Bake for 10 minutes.

Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the first layer of cookie. Pour the caramel over the chocolate chips, spreading it slowly and equally. Drop little bits of the remaining cookie dough evenly over the top of the bars. The caramel will still show through in some places--that's okay!

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until the top turns a golden brown.

Allow the bars to cool completely in the pan. If you try removing them from the pan or slicing them before the caramel has had time to firm up, you'll end up with a gooey mess. I refrigerated mine for 2 hours after the pan reached room temperature. Store bars in an airtight container in the fridge.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

More Dessert Recipes:
Congo Bars, Blondies, or Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars?
Michigan Cranberry Brownies
White Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Pie
Spiced Rum Brown Butter Cookies 
Yummy Butterscotch Cookies
 

The Best Sugar Cookies

I'm not going to lie, this sugar cookie is a little bit of a pain to make, but it's so worth the sink of dirty dishes. For that reason I haven't made them for the last few Christmases. However, Eric loves his sugar cookies something fierce. And I wanted to use my delicious sugar cookies to make stain glass cookies. I turned the leftover dough into regular cookies.

This recipe comes from my mom, but because it dirts sooo many dishes, she has been on the search for an easier one that is just as good. She tried the store bought cookie mixes and I don't even know how many other recipes--she tested out yet another one for Thanksgiving. I ate one cookie and that was more than enough. Since I don't make sugar cookies often, I'm sticking to making the best sugar cookie recipe when I do, no matter the mess it makes.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
4 teaspoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 cups granulated sugar

Directions:
Medium Bowl: Combine flour, tartar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Small Bowl: Stir together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Set aside.

Large Bowl: Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed for approximately 30 seconds. Add sugar and beat until fluffy. Alternating, add a little bit of the flour mixture then a little bit of the egg mixture to the butter mixture while beating. Once ingredients are combined, wrap the dough in wax paper and chill for 2 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to 1/4- to 1/8-inch thickness. (I like to roll out dough between two lightly floured pieces of waxed paper). Use cookie cutters to make cookies. Place the cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the bottoms of the cookies are a light golden brown.

If desired, frost with royal icing.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Christmas 2013 Baking List
Dark Chocolate Cover Cranberries
Michigan Cranberry Brownies
Honey Cake
Soft and Chewy Gingerbread Men Cookies 
Christmas Kiss Cookies 
Gingerbread House 2013
Three Chocolate Truffles: Mint, Rum, and Orange
Cherry Snowball Cookies
Stained Glass Cookies

Peanut Butter Fudge

Since my butterscotch fudge didn't turn out as planned, I decided to try one more fudge recipe this holiday season: peanut butter fudge . . . and it was a success!

Ingredients:
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cup into little blocks

Directions:
Line the bottom and sides of an 8x8 pan with parchment paper.

Combine the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, peanut butter chips, peanut butter, and butter in a medium glass (heat proof) bowl.

Create a double-boiler by setting the bowl over a medium-size saucepan of simmering water. The bottom of the bowl shouldn't touch the water. Stir in chocolate chips. Mix until the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth.

Pour the fudge into the prepared dish and smooth the top with a spatula. Refrigerate for 5 hours or until the fudge is firm.

To cut the fudge, remove the parchment paper from the dish. Run a knife under hot water, dry it off, and use it to cut the fudge into squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

2012 Christmas Baking List
Christmas Kiss Cookies
Tea Cookies
Cornflake Wreath Cookies
Candied Citrus Peels
Christmas Candy Corn
Homemade Chocolate-Covered Cherries
Sea Salt Nutella Fudge
Spiced Cranberry Juice

Check out last year's baking list!

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Source

So this recipe wasn't on my autumn cooking list. Since I've been doing so much cooking and baking with pumpkin lately, I thought why not stir some into my morning oatmeal. Little did I know that it's turn out so yummy. It's the perfect breakfast for a cool fall morning.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup quick oats
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
pinch of pumpkin pie spice
splash of vanilla extract
water or milk
raisins, garnish

Directions:
Mix water or milk together with the quick oats and microwave for 1 minute. Stir pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Sugar to your taste. Top with raisins.

Enjoy!

~Krissy

Also Check These Fall Recipes:  
Acorn Donuts
Applesauce Cookies with Caramel Frosting
Cheese Tortellini in a Pumpkin Sauce
Cinnamon-Sugar Pastry with Pumpkin Dip
Mini Pumpkin Pies
Pumpkin Bread!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies
Pumpkin Caramels!