Lemon Cream Cake

1 white cake mix,prepared
Filling:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
2 cups powered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped to stiff peaks
3 tbsp. lemon juice
Crumb Topping:
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup powered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 tbsp. butter


1. Prepare cake as directed in a 10" round spring form pan.

2. Blend cream cheese, powered sugar, and lemon juice together. In a medium bowl, whip heavy whipping cream to stiff peaks. Gently fold into cream cheese mixture and blend by hand. Chill until ready to add to the cake.

3. Mix flour and powered sugar in small bowl. Crumble butter in and dribble in vanilla extract. The crumbles should be no larger than pea size. If you have trouble crumbling mixture, chill for a few minutes. Chill until needed.

4. After cake is cooled, cut in half. Spread cream cheese mixture, saving 1/2 cup, on bottom half and carefully place top layer back. Spread rest of cream cheese mixture on the sides of cake. Press crumb topping into sides gently.

5. Chill for 3 hours

Chocolate Bliss Cake

1 pkg.chocolate cake mix (I used chocolate fudge)

1 cup Sour Cream

1 pkg.  (3.9 oz.) Chocolate Instant Pudding (also used the chocolate fudge)

1/2 cup chocolate chips

4 eggs

1/2 cup  oil

1/2 cup  water

1 1/2 cups  thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided

1 pkg.  (4 oz. each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, broken into pieces

 

Fresh berries (optional I used strawberries)

 

 

Heat oven to 350ºF.
Beat all ingredients except COOL WHIP, chocolate and berries in large bowl with mixer until well blended. 

Pour into 12-cup bundt pan sprayed with cooking spray.
Bake 50-60 min or until toothpick inserted near center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan 10 min. Loosen cake from sides of pan; invert onto wire rack. Gently remove pan. Cool cake completely. Transfer to plate.
Microwave cool whip and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Drizzle over cake. 

Fill center of cake with berries. Keep refrigerated.

 

Cherry Filled Crescent Rolls

 

 

1 (8 count) can crescent rolls
1 1/2 cups cherry pie filling
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar



1 Unroll crescent rolls.
2 Place 2 Tbsp cherry pie filling in center of each roll; roll up dough.

3 Bake according to directions on can.

4 Sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

* I thought that these were good but I think that a few changes would make them great. I would use the jumbo size crescent rolls. That way all the filling doesn't just fall out and also I would use blueberry filling next time but that's just personal preference.

Banana Bread with Greek Yogurt

1 1/2 cup flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar 1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup plain greek yogurt

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and mashed bananas; beat until combined. Add the dry ingredients and the yogurt alternately, beating until everything is just moistened. Be careful not to overbeat.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.(Mine took about 1hour and 15 min) Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from the pan.

* I got this recipe from fakeginger I had yogurt and bananas that needed to be used up so I was so happy to find this recipe and it was great my kids love banana bread and this didn't last long. I will need to double the batch next time and get 2 loaves.

Quick Korean Beef

1 pound lean ground beef
1/4 - 1/2 cup brown sugar (I used a little less then 1/2 cup)
1/4 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh ginger,
1/2 - 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (to desired spiciness I used 1/2 tsp cuz of the kids)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors.

Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

*I got this recipe from elizabethbryant.blogspot. we loved this recipe it was so fast and easy. In the week since I made it my husband has asked me 3 times when I am going to make it again. I am sure this is going to be a regular in our house. Next time we will wrap it up in some romaine lettuce for lettuce wraps. Yummy

Cherry Cobbler Cupcakes

box of cinnamon toast crunch muffin mix (plus ingredients to make the muffins oil,eggs,water)
can of cherry pie filling


1.Mix the muffins according to the package and scoop into 12 muffin tins. Leaving some space on the top for the cherries.

 
2. Scoop a tablespoon or two of pie filling into each muffin. Top with the strudel topping that the muffin mix comes with.

3. Bake at 350 (or whatever the box says) for 12 -15 min or until done.

Spaghetti a La Philly

1 Lb. ground beef or sausage (I just used beef its what I had)
salt and pepper

1 (24-26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce(I used garlic and herb flavored sauce)

4 oz. cream cheese, cut into cubes

8 oz. spaghetti noodles

Parmesan cheese, for topping

1.Cook ground beef or sausage in a large skillet over medium heat until browned and cooked through; season with salt and pepper.  Add the spaghetti sauce and cream cheese.  Heat until sauce is warmed and cream cheese is melted. 

2.Meanwhile, cook the spaghetti noodles according to package directions; drain and serve with sauce.


* I got this recipe from one of my favorite blogs eatcakefordinner It was a super fast and simple dinner and a nice change from the normal old red marinara sauce.

Texas Fudge Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter
4 tablespoons cocoa
1 cup water
2 cups sifted flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla 

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in the center of the oven. Butter and flour sheet cake pan  
2. In a medium saucepan combine the butter, cocoa, and water. Bring to a boil.  

3. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, salt, and baking soda.  
4. Pour the hot ingredients into the the dry ingredients. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

 

5. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla. Stir until the batter is smooth.

 

6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and place it in the oven. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. 

 

7. Remove the cake from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool. Immediately make the frosting and pour the frosting over the warm cake. Spread the frosting evenly and let the cake cool before serving.

 


Frosting

1 stick butter
6 tablespoons milk
4 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups powdered sugar

1. In a medium saucepan combine the butter, milk, cocoa, salt, and vanilla. Bring to a boil.

2. Place the powdered sugar in a large bowl. Pour the hot ingredients over the powdered sugar and beat with a wooden spoon until the frosting is smooth.

Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

 

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cup chocolate chips (I also added about 1/4 cup white chips)

1.Preheat the oven to 350°F. 

2.In a medium bowl, flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

3.In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and both sugars on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl then add the egg and vanilla and beat until well combined. Add half of the flour mixture and mix for 15 seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and beat until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips.

 

4.Drop by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between them. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until barely golden brown around the edges. 

 

5.Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

I made large cookies also to add some ice cream to. These needed to cook for about 12-15 min

 

 

 

* I keep seeing recipes saying that if you use cornstach in your cookies that they will stay soft and chewy. So of course I had to try it out and it did not disappoint. These cookies were really yummy and did stay soft for the two days that we had them around lol

Banana Bread with cinnamon glaze

1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup apple juice
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
4 bananas, mashed
1 tsp vanilla extract
6 oz greek yogurt
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt


Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon 
1T milk

 

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Mix oil, apple juice, white & brown sugars until well-blended.

 

2. Add mashed bananas, vanilla, and greek yogurt. Mix until smooth.

 

3. Add in flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until no lumps remain. Pour into lightly greased loaf pans and pop into preheated oven for 1 hour, checking often towards the end.  

4. Meanwhile make the glaze: combine the sugar, cinnamon and milk and mix well until fully combined. Let set until bread is done.

5. Remove the loaves from the oven when fully cooked.  poke many little holes in the loaves with a toothpick. Drizzle the loaves with the glaze and  Let glaze set until loaves are cool (around 2 hours).  

My Sons Monster Birthday Bash

My son had his third birthday party and we did a monster bash this year I loved how everything turned out and wanted to share some of the pics with you. 

 Here are the invites they are felt covered cardstock with google eyes and faces

 Monster Cupcakes and the main cake

 More cupcakes

 We made a picture collage of his name with some favorite pics from the first three years :) We also had a monster bean bag toss game

 The cake stand I made with cardboard,paper,soup cans,hot glue and some fur/fabric

 Tissue Box utensil holders

 Eyeball Jello Salad

 The doors were decorated as monsters

 Here is my sons smash cake. I know that you normally only do a smash cake for the first bday but I cant help myself. Plus have you seen a 3 year oid blow out candles? Its not just air coming out of his mouth lol

 Watermelon fruit salad monster

 Monster cheese balls on crackers

 We served monster "meatball" eye sandwiches also

The party was tons of fun and I had a great time making all the fun and silly monsters. There was a few more decorations that we made to I will get some more pics of those up soon.