Orange Crunch Cake

This was my favorite cake growing up. I can’t tell you how many times my momma made it for my Birthday.

Ingredients – Crunch Layer

1 cup Graham Cracker crumbs

1/2 cup Brown Sugar

1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts

1/2 cup Butter (melted)

Ingredients – Cake

1 box Yellow Cake Mix

1/2 cup Water

1/2 cup Orange Juice

1/3 cup Oil

3 Eggs

2 Tbsp. Grated Orange Peel

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans. In a small bowl, combine crunch layer until crumbly. Press half of Crunch mixture into each pan. In large bowl, blend cake ingredients at low speed; beat for 2 min. at high speed. Pour batter over crumbs. Bake for 30-35 min. Cool for 10 min. Remove from pans.

Frosting:

1 can Vanilla frosting

1 cup Cool Whip

3 Tbsp. Grated Orange Peel

1 Tsp. Lemon Peel

1 Orange sectioned

In a small bowl, beat frosting until fluffy. Add whipped topping and fold in grated Orange and Lemon peel.

Place one layer crunch side up on a serving plate spread with frosting. Top with remaining layer crunch side up. Spread frosting over top and sides. Garnish with oranges and store in refrigerator.

Strawberry Refrigerator Cake

One of the easiest and quickest cakes I’ve ever made.

Strawberry Refrigerator Cake –

Ingredients –
1 box Strawberry Cake Mix
2 (10 oz.) Boxes of Frozen Strawberries in Syrup
1 cup Cold Milk
1 (3.5 oz.) Box Instant Vanilla Puddling
1 (8 oz.) Container Cool Whip, thawed
1 pint Strawberries (tops removed, cut in half)
1/3 cup Chopped Pecans

Directions –
Follow directions on back of box to bake cake.

Pour cake batter into a greased 9 x 13 dish and bake cake according to box directions. Cool cake completely then poke holes into the cake with the tip of a wooden spoon.

Add the thawed strawberries in syrup into a food processor or blender.

Pulse strawberries into a slushy consistency.

Pour the purée mixture over the cake and spread evenly. Let the mixture soak into the cake.

Combine 1 cup of milk and instant vanilla pudding then fold in thawed Cool Whip. Once the pudding and Cool Whip are well combined spread evenly over the cake. Top with sliced strawberries and chopped pecans.

Chill in refrigerator for 1-2 hours before serving. If there are any leftovers store them in the refrigerator as well.

One Pan Mexican Quinoa

Here’s another super fast and easy recipe. Full of flavor as well. Would be a great side with chicken or a steak.

Ingredients –

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2 cloves of Garlic, minced
1 Jalapeño, minced
1 cup Quinoa
1 cup Vegetable broth
1 (15oz.) can of Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14.5oz.) can of Fire Roasted Tomatoes, diced
1 can of Whole Kernel Corn, drained and rinsed
1 tsp. of Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. of Cumin
Kosher Salt and Ground Black Pepper to taste
1 avocado, sliced in 1/2, peeled and seeded
Juice of one line
2 Tbsp. chopped Fresh Cilantro leaves

Directions –
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and jalapeño stir frequently cooking about 1 minute.

Stir in quinoa, vegetable broth, beans, tomatoes, corn, chili powder, cumin, and salt & pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat simmer to let quinoa cook completely. Cook about 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in avocado, lime juice, and cilantro.

Happy 2015🎉🎉🎉

Hope everyone is off to an awesome start in 2015. We have purged our house of all those evil demons (chocolate, cookies, candy, ice cream, etc.) and looking forward to clean eating yet again.

I really don’t have a name for this recipe since its kind of my own concoction 😊

We buy our ground Turkey at Costco. It comes in four individual packets. I used two packs for this recipe.

Ingredients –
2 packets Ground Turkey
1 large White Onion, diced
Garlic, minced (to your taste preference)
1 bundle of Asparagus (I used half)
1/2 a large container of Spinach
1 container of Mushrooms, diced
1 1/2 tsp. of Sriracha (more if you want a lot of heat 🔥
1 tsp. Orengo
1 tsp. Tarragon
1 tsp. Pepper
Sun dried Tomatoes

Sriracha, Spinach, and Sun dried tomatoes are all from Kroger

Directions-
In a large skillet add diced onion, garlic, and mushrooms. Cook over medium heat until onions are translucent.

In a separate skillet cook ground turkey over medium/high heat before turkey is completely cooked add in oregano, tarragon, pepper, and Sriracha.

Now add onion mix back into cooked turkey. Cook together on medium/low for 20 minutes. Add in chopped asparagus and spinach cooking on lower heat until spinach leaves wilt.

Before serving add as many sun dried tomatoes as you like.

This recipe definitely makes enough for leftovers unless you have a larger family and to be honest it tastes even better the second day 😉

Hope you enjoy.

Cookie Brownies

Another yummy easy treat 🙂

Cookie Brownies-

Ingredients –

1 roll Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie dough
1 box Duncan Hines Brownie mix
1 bag of your favorite chocolate candy (M&ms, Mini Reese’s Cup, Rolos, or Mini Milky Way)

Directions –

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Break cookie dough into small pieces and place in a 9×13 glass baking dish.

Place candy on top of unbaked cookie dough.

Mix brownies according to box. I prefer the directions on how to bake chewy like (with 2 eggs) instead of the cake like (3eggs).

Cut brownies while still warm. Store in an air tight container.

Ferraro Rocher Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

I’ve had this recipe for a year now My apologies for not sharing it before now. If all goes as planned I will be making a batch this week. I so love to bake through the holidays it’s just setting the time aside to do so.

Ferrero Rocher Cupcakes with Nutella Buttercream

Ingredients –

1/2 cup Lightly Salted Butter
1/2 cup Caster Sugar
2 Large Eggs (room temperature)
1/2 cup Self Rising Flour
2 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 Tbsp. Milk
6 unwrapped Ferrero Rocher chocolates

Nutella Buttercream –

3 1/2 Tbsp. Butter
5 Tbsp. Nutella
7 Tbsp. Confectioners Sugar
1 3/4 Tbsp. Cocoa Powder
2 Tbsp. Milk
1 1/2 Tbsp. Hazel Nuts (finely chopped)

Directions –

Preheat over to 356 degrees.

Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

In a separate bowl, sift together flour and cocoa powder. Gradually add the eggs and dry ingredients, mixing until well combined.

Beat in vanilla extract and milk.

Line cupcake tin with 6 cases and divide the mixture evenly into them, reserving a few teaspoons.

Gently press the Ferrero Rocher into each cupcake, press down into the mixture. Spoon remaining mixture on top of the chocolates to cover them.

Bake for 15 minutes or until cupcakes feel firm.

Cool completely.

To make Nutella Buttercream – cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the Nutella. Sift in the confectioners sugar and cocoa powder.

Finally beat in milk until you have a creamy mixture, still firm enough to pipe. Pipe the Buttercream on top of the cupcakes.

Sprinkle finely chopped hazelnuts over the top of cupcakes. You can also top with another Ferrero chocolate if you like.

English Toffee Bites

Just for you my sweet Helen.

English Toffee Bites

Ingredients –

1/2 cup Unsalted butter
1/2 cup Margarine
1 cup Sugar
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. Vanilla extract
12oz. Milk Chocolate (melted)
1 cup Whole almonds
1 cup Walnuts (finely ground)

Directions –

On a foil lined baking dish arrange almonds in a single layer. Set aside.

In a saucepan combine butter, margarine, sugar, and salt. Cook over medium high heat with a wooden spoon until butter melts, stirring constantly. Bring mix to a rolling boil. Continue to boil and stir in an additional 5-7 minutes until candy turns a golden to a golden brown color. If you have a candy thermometer the mix needs to reach (300 degrees).

Remove from heat quickly stirring in vanilla.

Pour over almonds. Cool mix completely (2 hours)

When candy mix is cooled and set melt chocolate and pour over toffee and sprinkle with finely ground walnuts.

Store in an air tight container.

Salted Caramel Apple Dip

Just as soon as I can get to the grocery store tomorrow this will be made !!!!

Ingredients –
1 8oz. Pkg Cream Cheese, softened to room temperature
3/4 packed Brown Sugar
1/4 cup Powdered Sugar
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt
Chopped peanuts (optional)

Directions –
Mix all ingredients together with a hand mixer. Store in an airtight container.

Sunshine Muffins

These sound amazing!!!!!

Ingredients –
3 Eggs
1/2 Coconut Oil
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3/4 cup Sugar
2 cups Flour
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
2 cups Carrots, grated
1 cup sweet Apples, finely chopped
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Directions –
Preheat oven 350.

Combine all ingredients except carrots, apples, raisins, and nuts mixing well. Once all ingredients are mixed stir in carrots, apples, raisins, and nuts.

Grease muffin tin and pour mix about 3/4 full. Bake 15-18 minutes.

Let cool and remove from muffin tin.

Slow Cooker Thai Chicken Soup

I’m so looking forward to trying this soup! I love Thai food !!!!! The hotter the better 😉

Ingredients –
2 Tbsp. Red Curry Paste
2 (12oz) cans of Coconut Milk
2 cups Chicken Stock
2 Tbsp. Fish Sauce
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp. Peanut Butter
1 1/2 lbs. Boneless Skinless Breasts, cut into 1/2 in. Pieces
1 Red Bell Pepper, seeded and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1 Onion thinly sliced
1 heaping Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, minced
1 cup Frozen Peas, thawed
1 Tbsp. Lime Juice
Cilantro for garnish
Cooked White Rice

Directions –
Mix curry paste, coconut milk, chicken stock, fish sauce, brown sugar, and peanut butter in a 4 – 6 qt. slow cooker. Place the chicken, red pepper, onion, and ginger in the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

Add in the peas and cook a 1/2 hour longer. Stir in lime juice, cilantro, and white rice and serve immediately.