Carla's Confections

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Cookies

2014-09-25T03:30:00.000-07:00

These Cinnamon Coffee Cake Cookies are the perfect cookie to take you into Autumn, not to mention they taste like Coffee Cake, which means it's totally acceptable to eat for breakfast.

You're welcome.

Or is that just me who will eat a cookie for breakfast before eating a healthy meal?

Well, okay, I willll drink a smoothie. I just dont want to take the time to cook a healthy meal for breakfast, sit down and eat it, wasting all that time I could be sleeping!

Enter coooooookie! A cookie you can eat for breakfast and ~~not~~ feel guilty about...

It does have struessel after all!

Struessel is usually found on a muffin. Muffins are breakfast food. Ergo: Struessel = breakfast. Ergo Ergoooo (these) cookies = breakfast.

Math always was my best subject.

But in all honesty, these cookies were made for someone.

More specifically, every child out there that is going through devastation. Childhood cancer claims more lives in children than any other disease, and it is time for it to come to an end.

OXO kindly sent me some cookie tools to get busy baking in the kitchen (hardly something I need an excuse for), and I just fell in love with everything they sent me.

I now have two of their cookie scoops, but really, can you ever have too many of those?! #morecookies! It is really sturdy and gives you perfect portions for your cookies. No more rolling necessary!

Their cookie spatula is perfect for lifting the cookies off the tray, and it is silicone, so you dont have to worry about the cookie sticking to the spatula.

They also sent their 3 piece spatula set (can you ever have too many of those either?!), as well as their new dusting wand and some really pretty white measuring cups and spoons. I am truly obsessed with OXO products, and I just fall even more in love with companies that have huge hearts for kids!

OXO has teamed up with Cookies for Kid's Cancer to help bring an end to childhood cancer. When you buy any OXO product with this sticker on it, OXO will donate 25 cents in support for pediatric cancer! How amazing is that?!

In addition to that, for every blogger that posts a cookie recipe in the month of September in support of the #BakeADifference campaign, OXO is donating $100 to Cookies for Kids Cancer.

That is a campaign I can get on board with :)

So get out there, buy some awesome OXO products (with the #cookiesforkids sticker on it, donate a few cents to the campaign, and go home and make some cookies for breakfast!

Talk about killing three birds with one stone! ;)

Cinnamon Coffee Cake Cookies
makes roughly 3 dozen

ingredients:

-2 1/4 cups cake flour
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1 tsp cinnamon
-1 pinch nutmeg, or freshly ground
-3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-1/4 cup packed brown sugar
-1 tsp kosher salt

-2 tsp vanilla extract
-2 eggs
-6 oz Cinnamon Chips (like chocolate chips, found in grocery stores)

for the streussel:

-3/4 cup cake flour (or all-purpose flour)
-1/2 cup packed brown sugar
-1/4 cup softened butter
-1/4 cup pecan chips (chopped pecans)

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F, spray 3 baking trays with non-stick spray.

2. In a bowl, whisk together cake flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer, with the paddle attached, combine together the butter and both sugars, beating on high until light and fluffy (roughly 5 minutes).

4. Turn mixer to low, and add salt, vanilla and both eggs. Return to high and beat until combined.

5. Turn mixer to low again, and slowly add in the flour mixture, scraping the sides with OXO spatulas when needed.

6. Using a spatula, fold in the cinnamon chips until combined. Set aside.

7. In another bowl, combine the streussel ingredients, stirring and smashing with a fork.

8. Scoop out cookies onto the three baking trays using an OXO cookie scoop. Using a spoon, press the tops of the cookies in to form a "bowl" for the streussel to sit in. Scoop out roughly 1/2 tsp worth of the streussel on top of the cookie, pressing in if needed.

9. Bake cookies in preheated oven roughly 10-13 minutes, until starting to golden brown on the sides. Remove and allow to cool before enjoying.

Disclosure: OXO sent me some of their cookie tools to make this recipe. I would not promote products I do not believe in. OXO is one of my favorite brands and I often buy their products because I love them. Their quality is top notch and I also love the things they stand for.

Upscale Football Party with Tiziano Wines

2014-09-16T03:30:00.000-07:00

Any party that includes these beautiful Shrimp Caprese Skewers and Parmigiano Onion Bread is a party I will be crashing, even if it does have to do with football. The real winners are these appetizers anyway, and they pair perfectly with wine. Football parties no longer need to be beer and tater tots (not that I would complain about those either!)

It's football time again. How did that come around so fast?!

I have to be honest and say that I am really not a football fan, but I will also say I will attend any party that has food and alcohol.

Heck, I would host a party if food and alcohol showed up as guests! #sorrynotsorry

I mean, how fun would it be to have a "classy" football party? Wine and finger food anyone?

Two things I absolutely love are all things grilled, and all things Caprese. So why not combine the two beautes?! I had never tried Shrimp Caprese, so I challenged myself to do just that.

Goodness, I didn't know Caprese could get any better but oh, yes it does! Adding grilled shrimp is just the perfect addition! And talk about a perfect football party food.

Tiziano's Pinot Grigio pairs amazingly with these Shrimp Caprese Skewers, because the crisp flavor of the sweet citrus brings out the bold flavor of the tomatoes. The wine also pairs nicely with shrimp, so I couldn't go wrong there! You will love this pairing!

Just sayin', if you want to make these at your football party, you might just have an extra person (read: me) show up at your party.

Click Here to Read More of this Yummy Post >>

No-Churn Biscoff Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

2014-07-31T11:53:00.000-07:00

Simple and creamy Biscoff Ice Cream that doesn't require an ice cream maker! The addition of mini chocolate chips will send this ice cream over the top!

Does it feel like ages since we've last conversed?

That's because it has. Literally I aged since we last spoke.

I turned 27.

Ouch.

I woke up one day and suddenly felt old and like I have to act like an adult. Now how is that fair?!

And yet, as circumstances stand, you would think we are not adults. My husband, afterall, is an animator and - by definition - gets to be a child for the rest of his life.

That and the fact we are living with family **still** since the animation industry is at an all-time low at the moment.

Try as we may, this industry is doing whatever it can to knock us back down on our butts. But we keep standing up again. Because that's all we can do.

Stand up and try again.

Every single time we question if now is the time to move on to a different industry, our amazing Lord tells us otherwise.

Matt will prevail with animation and we will be stronger because of it.

And for now we stay where God has asked us to be, because there is no question that He has placed us here in our hometown of the Biggest Little City Reno, NV for a reason.

....Just thought you might be wondering what these last few months have looked like for us!

It hasnt been easy, but we know there is a greater plan at work. And I can't wait to see where it goes!

In the meantime, let's talk about this ice cream!

I would be lying if I told you my favorite food to eat was dessert. I know... #foodbloggerfail.

But if you set a plate of chips and dip in front of me right next to a cake, I must say I will go for the chips and dip every time.

Sorry not sorry ;)

Click Here to Read More of this Yummy Post >>

Roasted Red Pepper and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese

2014-05-21T10:38:00.000-07:00

You will not regret trying this amazing twist on the grilled cheese with extra sharp cheddar cheese, parmigiano reggiano, roasted red peppers and prosciutto! Delicious!

May is National Grilled Cheese Month, and with my love of sandwiches, there was no way I was going to let that pass by without celebrating!

But before we start the grilled cheese party, let me update you on my life, because it seems every time we talk, there is something new to tell.

I am currently writing this post from a third story hotel room in the heart of the Alphabet District in Portland, OR. How is that for something new!

The hubs got a short term (three week) job up here working on a commercial, and the company was generous enough to put us up in a hotel for the duration which means one thing: I get to eat my way around Portland for three weeks!

We are not expecting to be able to make Portland home (been there, done that, didn't work last time), so we are just taking it day by day and enjoying the three week vaca that I get!

Yesterday was the first day in roughly 6 months that I had absolutely nothing to do except enjoy myself.

I was a weird day! But I loved it. And the good thing about this hotel, is it has a full kitchen, which means I can cook if I want to, but lets be real: who wants to cook when they are in the hub of amazing restaurants, food carts and coffee shops?!

I will be recording my adventures, so follow along my three week journey here in Portland, and in the meantime, head over to GoodLife Eats to get the recipe for this Roasted Red Pepper and Prosciutto Grilled Cheese!

Mini Crustless Kale and Broccoli Quiches

2014-04-09T07:00:00.000-07:00

These Mini Kale and Broccoli Quiches are the perfect on-the-go breakfast to get your day the healthy and satisfying kick it needs!

I am just in love with springtime. I love that it brings on new life, beautiful colors, warm weather, and an excuse to eat ice cream.

**ahem**

I meant a reason to eat healthy!

No but really, I don't know what it is, but something about spring makes me think of eating quiche.

I just want to make it all the time, and keep enough on hand to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

I dont see anything wrong with that scenario!

Whether you love it as much as me or not, make sure to make some for your kids or yourself to have a perfectly easy breakfast (or lunch or dinner) on-the-go, and make some extra to freeze (and give to me of course!)...

You'll find this baby over at Goodlife Eats today!

Happy (almost) Easter everyone!

Quinoa and Chia Seed Toasted Granola Bars

2014-04-02T03:00:00.000-07:00

An updated version of delicious Quinoa and Chia Seed Toasted Granola Bars that will give you a perfect start to the day, AND they are kid-approved!

Isn't it funny how fast time seems to go? I mean, how is it already April? It literally feels like time is slipping through our fingers. And although I only work 30 hours a week in my outside job, it seems as though I have NO time on my hands. Between the job, three different bible studies I am a part of, volunteering at church as well as church services in itself, hanging with friends and family and everything else going on, the blog has unfortunately taken a back burner. And I am not sure why either, because the blog is the job that I am passionate about. There seems to be something wrong with that!

I go back and look at some of the photos I have taken and my heart does a little leap. Does that happen to you with your job?

I think that's when you know you are doing what you love. When your heart leaps and you can't wait to get back to doing that very thing!

I finally got the chance this week to make some new recipes and get pictures of them, and it brought me back to how much I love this whole blog thing! As crazy and time consuming as it is, I really do love it! And I hope you love listening to me ramble about it too! ;)

Speaking of new recipes, have you heard of ZipList? It is a pretty awesome tool that is reaching across the blogoshpere, and it makes it super easy for you to save recipes to your very own recipe box and even add the ingredients from any recipe you love to a digital shopping list so you dont have to write it all down and then forget the list at home (yes I am very guilty of this!!).

Now ZipList is a part of Carla's Confections and right at your finger tips to get started on trying your favorite recipes easier than ever! Right under the recipe title on Carla's Confections, you will see a "save recipe" button that you can do just that! As well as on my main navigation, you will find two new buttons: Recipe Box and Shopping List where it will take you straight to your pages where you can add ingredients to your shopping list, and review all the recipes you have saved. You just need to create a free account and youre free to go!

Pretty cool huh? Let's get to cookin!

I made this recipe as a guest post for another blog a while back, and while it is well liked, there has been a lot of questions regarding it, so it is high time to answer the questions and show you my updated version.

I tested this recipe four different ways, just to make sure I had it all right, just so YOU can have the best tasting, and best "stuck-together" version of these granola bars.

I made the four different versions all in one day, so you can imagine how many granola bars I had sitting around the house! Thank goodness they are healthy for you, otherwise we'd all be 400 pounds!

One of my favorite things when I make recipes is to see everyone else enjoying them, and even better than that is when kids enjoy them. You know how brutal kids can be with food. They won't hold back if they don't like something, so it is like Christmas seeing kids devouring this stuff.

I was able to watch not one, but TWO kids scarfing these granola bars down, and it literally made my day! And the best part about it is how stinking healthy they are! Packed full of chia seeds, quinoa, flax seed, peanut butter, and tons of other healthy ingredients, you won't have to worry about your kids eating those sugar-filled storebought granola bars. And they will be non the wiser with how delicious these are!

It is spring and the best time to be packing your kids these healthy snacks! And I won't judge if you steal some for yourselves too!

Happy Spring!

Quinoa & Chia Seed Toasted Granola Bars | Printable Recipe

makes roughly 14 bars

ingredients:

-2 cups old fashioned oats
-1/2 cup raw or roasted sunflower seeds
-1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
-1/4 cup chia seeds
-1/2 cup ground flaxseed (also called flax meal)
-1/2 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
-1/2 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed and drained
-1/2 cup honey
-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
-pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg (a couple grinds of fresh nutmeg if using)
-1/4 cup raisins
-1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)

directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F/190˚C. Line a large baking tray with parchment paper, and lay out the oats, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds and roughly chopped almonds on the baking sheet and toast in the preheated oven 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, combine the peanut butter and honey in a small bowl, stirring with a fork to combine.

3. Once the oats mixture are golden brown, combine those, along with the remaining dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir roughly to combine. Add in the peanut butter/honey mixture and mix well to combine.

4. Line an 8x8 roasting pan with parchment paper and turn out the combined mixture into the pan, pressing down with a spatula to get as even and flat as possible.

5. Place bars in the fridge minimum of a couple hours to firm up. Remove and cut into desired bar sizes and store in the fridge in an airtight container until ready to eat.

RECIPE NOTES:

-This is a soft, chewy granola bar recipe; if they are stored at room temperature, they will not hold together. They need to be stored in cold temperatures to stay together. They will start to fall apart if they are out of the fridge too long.

-Bars should be good to eat for at least a couple weeks when stored in the refrigerator.

-Feel free to substitute craisins for the raisins, different nuts or any chocolate variety you would like.

-Yes the quinoa is uncooked. I promise you will love the added crunch it gives the bars :)

Recipe adapted from Carla's Confections, which was inspired by Two Peas and their Pod

© Carla's Confections 2014

Baked Shrimp Po' Boy with Sriracha Mayo

2014-03-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

Seriously mouth watering sandwich that will take you down south! This Baked Shrimp Po' Boy with Sriracha Mayo will certainly have your heart singing. Not to mention your stomach a-growlin! ;)

Can I just tell you that I have seriously been wanting to make this sandwich for over a year?!

And then I had to go and have one of the best versions of it in Portland, only ever-so-slightly raising the bar for myself to make it.

I was ~~sort of~~ extremely nervous to make an at-home version, because, I mean, can you really compete with the best??

The answer, my friends...

YES!

Every. Time. I. Look. At. These. Photos. I. Crave. Another. One.

I really could not be more impressed with the way these turned out. We even had leftovers the next day and they were just as good! (If you want to go this route, see notes at bottom of recipe) And I still want more! Every single day.

I am a fairly new convert of Sriracha hot sauce, but for no other reason than I haven't had many things that I would think Sriracha would taste good on, if that statement makes any sense.

Even though I have only had it a few times in my life, I instantly knew that on my version of Shrimp Po' Boys needed Sriracha Mayonnaise.

I absolutely guarantee there will be no going back once you cross the Sriracha Mayo line.

Nor will you want to go back!

Click Here to Read More of this Yummy Post >>

Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Bacon Pizza

2014-02-26T09:05:00.000-08:00

Delicious homemade pizza with the amazing flavors of a garlic cream sauce, caramelized red onions, crispy bacon and sauteed spinach. This Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Bacon Pizza will ensure you never buy pizza out again! ;)

Have you missed me? I have sure missed you! It is amazing how quickly time can go and how easily life can get in the way.

I can assure you I am back at it this week, and you certainly don't want to miss out on this recipe!

I am very much a one-flavor-of-pizza kinda girl, and that happens to be BBQ Chicken Pizza, because I mean, no explanation needed right?!

But this pizza! Oh man! It is one of my top two pizzas now! It is seriously insane! Looking at the photos now is making me drool and want a big ole bite!

Yeah its that good!

So go check the post out on GoodLife Eats and make the pizza tonight. Or for pizza Friday. Or for breakfast Wednesday.

Whatever floats your boat.

If you need me, Ill be in the corner hoarding this pizza.

Caramelized Onion, Spinach and Bacon Pizza on GoodLife Eats

Chocolate Toffee Caramel Corn (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

2014-01-13T03:00:00.000-08:00

This twist on the classic Caramel Corn recipe will have your whole family going crazy. Chocolate Toffee Caramel Corn needs to go along with you next time you go to the movies, or better yet, on a picnic once the Polar Vortex is over. And if you like picnics, stay tuned to the end of the post for a really amazing giveaway!

Raise your hand if you are ready for warm weather.

You can't see it, but my hand is high high high in the air, waving madly, wishing hopefully that this act alone will somehow will summer (or even spring) into existence!

And I am on the west coast. I cant even imagine how those of you in the mid-west and the east are feeling.

Doesnt it feel like (unless you live in California of course), that winter is the longest season of all? I do like winter. I really do. But when it last practically half the year, I start to get a little tired of it, to say the least.

I am ready for warm weather and that is all there is to it.

Something else that I am ready for is to see the end of childhood hunger in America (and all over the world for that matter).

I know it seems like we talk about it all the time, but it is truly a huge problem and it breaks my heart to think of how many children go without eating everyday. Even if it doesnt appear from the outside that a child is going hungry, there might be some small signs to look out for. Look at these stats that are coming from No Kid Hungry:

-Nearly 1 in 5 children are going hungry everyday, and they might not look any different from other children. We may be missing the signs of hunger in a child.

-Hungry children are more likely to experience severe short and long-term health problems than children who receive proper nutrition.

-Hungry children are less likely to do well in school, get the proper education, and is less likely to be able to feed their own families when they grow up. It has much larger an effect than just the here and now.

But there are solutions to the problem at hand.

Fleischmann's Yeast and Karo Syrup reached out to me and some other bloggers to help spread awareness of the growing problem at hand. They asked us to help by #BakingADifference and creating our own fun twist on Karo's Classic Caramel Corn Recipe and sharing it, along with spreading awareness about Childhood Hunger in America and how we can make a difference at home.

Click Here to Read More of this Yummy Post >>

Whole Wheat Garlic Parmesan Pita Chips

2014-01-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

These Whole Wheat Garlic Parmesan Pita Chips are the perfect kick start to the new healthy you of 2014! A lot healthier than potato chips and are utterly delicious when dipped in homemade hummus! And they are easier than you think (the pitas are storebought!).

I know we are already almost two weeks into the new year (!!!!!!!), but it is never too late to start fresh right??

And while I will never say "no" to a good cookie or some homemade ice cream, sometimes it just feels right to reach for something on the healthier side to eat. Do you agree?

Since we are all trying to get over that holiday binge eating (or is that just me??), I thought I would start us all out in the new year with a healthy snack.

These Whole Wheat Garlic Parmesan Pita Chips are the perfect addition to some Homemade Garlic Hummus, or even some Arugula and Walnut Pesto. And it's **practically** guilt free. Or at least I like to think so...

You'll find the super easy recipe for these Pita Chips over at GoodLife Eats today. Stop on by and say hello :)

Cookie Dough Truffles

2013-12-20T16:38:00.002-08:00

These M&M Cookie Dough Truffles will knock your socks off this holiday season. Perfect as a last minute gift, or to munch on while ringing in the new year! Make sure these truffles pop up in your household sooner than later!

It is really hard to believe we are less than a week from Christmas and less than two weeks from ringing in 2014. December flew by without any knowledge of it.

As we come to the close of the year, I feel it necessary to look back and remember what the year was like.

We spent ringing in 2013 up in Portland with my brother, sister-in-law, new niece and my parents celebrating the last day of 2012, immediately followed by hugs and goodbyes, and moving up to Vancouver, BC for my husband to start work on his very first movie production.

We were so stoked, albeit terrified of moving yet again to a new country, but the excitement for the new job overwhelmed it all. He was finally getting somewhere in his career. We were set for a three year visa, and a long term contract at Sony Pictures Imageworks.

Then July came around, and things changed. The next project Sony was set to work on would be on hiatus for at least 4-5 months. This meant the worst: we would be out of a job in a country we couldnt afford to stay in with no income.

We were forced to leave.

We packed up and left Vancouver at the end of August, but with some great prospects in mind! Matt had had a great interview with the dream company, and we were awaiting the answer of if we would be able to live and work in the USA, and better yet, close to home.

He got the job! He was hired from Pixar Animation Studio and was set to start work in late September.

Only, that wouldn't last either. Not 8 months, like it did at Sony. Not even 3 months, like our stint in Portland.

Nope this job wouldn't even last a whole work day.

Three hours.

Three hours at Pixar when they told him the unfortunate news that they would be unable to keep him. They had made the tough decision to push the movie production back 18 months that they hired him for, which meant there was absolutely no work for him to do.

Heart. Break.

The dream job in the dream city had slipped through our hands and we were left once again, job-less and house-less.

We cannot, however, look at the negatives without highlighting the positives.

You see, we have been trying to get pregnant for close to two years now, and we have been unsuccessful in the venture. We had gotten to the point that we needed to have it addressed.

When we came back (broken hearted) from San Fransisco and the loss of the dream job, we were fortunate enough to get incredible insurance for two months from the job that lasted 3 hours.

We decided it was high time to talk to our OB-Gyn.

We were so afraid she wouldn't be able to give us any good news or any plans of how to move forward.

Boy were we wrong! We found out just the opposite in fact! It turned out that I have severe Endometriosis, which prevents pregnancy. I went in for surgery, had the majority of it removed, and was placed on a three-month shot to get rid of any remaining Endometriosis!

Which means, that after the three month period in which the shot is active in my body, we will be able to try (hopefully successfully) to have babies!

We couldn't have been more relieved to get this news. As tough of news as it was, it gives us hope that there is a fix for this, and that we will be able to give our baby niece a cousin fairly soon!

And with the incredible insurance we were blessed with, we didnt have to pay a penny for the surgery. Talk about God's hand in that situation! There is no denying He had the perfect timing for that.

We also got to celebrate our niece's first birthday, where her Aunty Carla made her cake (first time using fondant! Eeeek!!), and we are finishing off the year (or Christmas anyway) by spending FIVE days in Disneyland!

I guess you could say this has been the best and worst year for my husband's career, but we have to realize too how blessed we are.

So even though we may not have a job right now, we do have a roof over our heads (and free rent!) family surrounding us, and an amazing 2014 to look forward to (and God willing, a baby to ring in 2015 maybe!!)

I hope that you and your family have a blessed Christmas and New Years and that even with all the tough things in the world right now, I hope you can look to the positives as well, such as these Cookie Dough Truffles ;)

I hope you can forgive me for the long (and lack of funny) post, but I promise to keep this part short and sweet...

literally.

These cookie dough truffles are seriously the cutest, and most perfect little bite sized treat, and I am giving you an excuse to eat the cookie dough before it gets baked into a cookie!

And it is egg-less so you dont need to fret on that count!

I know, I think of it all!

It is customizable to your favorite cookie dough ingredients, as well as the chocolate coating.

So treat Santa, your friends and family, or your New Years guests to a treat they won't soon forget!

These Cookie Dough Truffles won't last long, I can promise you that! Even my husband, who is not a fan of cookie dough (GASP!!) gobbled these babies up and asked for more!

Merry Christmas everyone! Have a cookie dough holiday!!!

M&M Cookie Dough Truffles | Printable Recipe

makes roughly 1 1/2 dozen truffles

ingredients:

-1 1/8 cup flour
-1/4 tsp baking soda
-1 stick (1/2 cup) salted butter, softened
-3/8 cup white sugar
-3/8 cup brown sugar
-1/2 tsp vanilla
-3 Tbsp milk
-3/4 cup mini M&M's (or your favorite addition)
-1 8oz bag white or dark chocolate melts, or your favorite

directions:

1. Beat the butter and sugars in a stand mixer on high until creamy and fluffy. Add in vanilla and milk and beat until combined. Turn the mixer to low and slowly add sugar and baking soda. Mix until combined and then stir in mini M&Ms.

2. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough into roughly the same size and roll them into balls, placing them onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Do the same with the remaining cookie dough, and place in the freezer at least 30 minutes to harden.

3. Melt the white or dark chocolate in the microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring frequently, until fully melted. Stir in some canola oil, if needed to thin chocolate out.

4. Remove cookie dough balls from freezer, and using a fork, dip into melted chocolate, covering the entire cookie dough ball, and place back on the parchment. Drizzle more chocolate if desired and garnish with extra mini M&M's. Place in fridge to allow chocolate to harden and store in fridge to keep fresh longer. Store in airtight container.

© Carla's Confections 2013

Cookie Dough slightly adapted from Love & Olive Oil

Cookie Dough Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies

2013-12-15T06:56:00.000-08:00

Deliciously soft and chewy Peanut Butter Cookies perfectly stuffed with M&M cookie dough to create two cookies in one!

Good morning friends! Hope you had a wonderful weekend! I am starting to have a panic attack that we are now at the less than TWO week mark before Christmas! Can someone please explain to me how this is possible?!

Are you ready? Done shopping? Pressies wrapped?

I havent even started. Oy!

If you are looking for the perfect cookie to set out for Santa's arrival, then you have stopped at the perfect place!!!

I am sharing the recipe for these Cookie Dough Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies today over at In Katrina's Kitchen for her #IllbringtheCOOKIES party!

Join us over there and tell her hello for me :)

Pumpkin Pie Truffles

2013-11-27T07:54:00.003-08:00

Can you believe that it is basically Christmastime already?!

I am finding it hard to believe that it is already so late in the year. Thanksgiving is practically over already, and its now time to start decorating and getting everyone ready for Christmas and New Years. Wow.

But one thing I will NOT be able to give up before the cold months are over is Pumpkin. I dont care if it's more of a Fall-time eat, this girl isnt getting rid of it anytime soon!

If you are with me on this, then you will be head over heels for these Pumpkin Pie Truffles like I am!

I have just begun contributing over at GoodLife Eats, and will be sharing a recipe over there every six weeks. You will find these truffles as my first post over there today.

Stop on by and say hi!!

Happy almost Thanksgiving friends!

Pumpkin Pie Truffles at GoodLife Eats.

Apple Pie Ice Cream (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

2013-11-22T03:00:00.000-08:00

With the perfect bites of Apple Pie filling, and crumbles of graham cracker crust mixed in, you will think you are eating warm Apple Pie with ice cream on top. You will want to eat this Apple Pie Ice Cream all year long!

Well we made it to the end of #pieweek! It's hard to believe this is the last day and that we have had three pretty big giveaways this week! Don't forget to check out the other two as well. On Monday we had a great giveaway from Anolon and Wusthof, and on Wednesday, OXO and Le Creuset were kind enough to sponsor a giveaway. Make sure you check those ones out!

And of course, we wouldn't leave you today without an amazing giveaway! Today we have... wait for it... KITCHENAID sponsoring the giveaway! Scroll on to the bottom to get those details!

But don't leave me hanging without at least checking out this amazing Apple Pie Ice Cream recipe!!!

You guys.

Seriously.

Like really seriously.

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Biscoff Ice Cream Pie (GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

2013-11-20T03:00:00.000-08:00

Ice Cream Pie is now acceptable any time of the year! This Biscoff Ice Cream Pie will change your mind about eating ice cream in the Fall and Winter months!

We have hit the jackpot of pies here. I kid you not, this pie didn't last more than two days in the house! It was gobbled up so fast, I hardly had a moment to take pictures of it! But thankfully I was able to ;)

Before we get back to regularly scheduled programming, I thought now we be a good time to ~~interrupt~~ let you know I am crashing in on Day Two of #pieweek, hosted by the beautiful ladies Audra of The Baker Chick, and Brandy of Nutmeg Nanny.

These ladies have been working super hard to get Pie Week going, and have some really great giveaways attached to the three days of posts! You can see the first amazing giveaway sponsored by King Arthur Flour and Cabot Creamery here (and you will see some amazing pie recipes from Day 1). Also a huge thank you to Cabot Creamery for sending us all some cheeses, butter and yogurt to bake with!

Today's #pieweek giveaway will have FOUR winners total, with the amazing sponsors of OXO and Le Creuset! Talk about some truly awesome products to be winning! Scroll on down to the bottom of the post to see about the goodies being given away. But let's finish talking about this divine pie, shall we??

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Spinach Mashed Potatoes (Thanksgiving Potluck GIVEAWAY CLOSED)

2013-11-18T04:00:00.000-08:00

Creamy mashed red potatoes mixed with sour cream, garlic and deliciously healthy spinach. The perfect mashed potato recipe for Thanksgiving this year!

Can you even believe it is already almost Thanksgiving?! The rest of this month is just going to fly by, I can already tell! I am hosting Thanksgiving with my sister-in-law this year, and I couldn't be more excited!

Good thing we are doing this potluck right now, so I can get tons of ideas of stuff to make!

A few of us bloggers decided to team up and bring you some great ideas of what to make for the big holiday this year in a Thanksgiving Potluck style! A huge thanks to Erin of Dinners, Dishes and Desserts for putting this all together, and to Feeding America, Anolon and Wusthof. But Ill talk about the last three in a minute. But a hint for you - read on to the end and there might just be a bit of a treat for you :)

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Easy Taco Soup

2013-11-11T03:00:00.000-08:00

Comfort food at it's best! Extremely easy Taco Soup that is sure to show up in your menu weekly!

This is one of those recipes that have been in the family since like forever.

And of course by forever I mean like 10 years.

Because that is forever to me. #problemsofa26yearold

This soup seriously shows up in our rotation at least every other week. It is so easy and its a deliciously warm way to have your taco and eat it soup too.

The best part is that you can add your favorite ingredients to the soup. I come from (and married into) a semi- picky family(ies), so we tend to keep things simple here. This here soup contains taco meat, corn, kidney beans and tomato soup. But if you are a fan of black olives, jalapenos or chili peppers, onions, or any other delicious Mexican ingredients, those will make them all the better!

So have you noticed that in the last month or so, the same like four props have showed up in my photos?

Yeah, the hazards of having all our stuff in storage.

I went to use nutmeg the other day in a recipe, and I only have whole nutmeg because (come on!) it's a thousand times better than already ground nutmeg. Anyway, I went to use it and realized that we don't have a zester to get the fresh grinds. I know we have one, but it is packed away neatly somewhere between the boxes here where we are staying (call me lazy for not wanting to search that hard), or in our 10x10 storage unit 20 minutes from here (call me lazy for not wanting to drive and search through boxes).

So what did I do?

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Halloween Rice Krispie Treats

2013-10-30T03:30:00.000-07:00

Frighteningly easy Halloween Rice Krispie Treats that will be perfect for your little ghouls and goblins (and it wouldn't be Halloween if you didn't sneak a few) ;)

Ok, let's talk about procrastination here! Posting a Halloween recipe the day before the big holiday?!?

I do apologize!

But I am banking on having a few of you who are like me; looking for a last minute treat that will be extremely quick and easy to make.

And trust me.

These are quick. And easy. And (more importantly) uber delish.

What are you doing for Halloween? Taking your kiddos trick or treating? Going to a party? Handing out candy??

I am super excited for my night tomorrow!

We are throwing a murder mystery party! And it's Hollywood themed which only makes it even cooler in my opinion!

We get to assume character roles, act out and solve the murder! Talk about the perfect Halloween party! I want to do this every year!

Yeah, I will be taking tons of photos, so keep a look out on Instagram!

So these Rice Krispie Treats! They are so incredibly simple!

You only need butter, Rice Krispie cereal, Halloween marshmallows (or regular marshmallows), Halloween Oreos (or normal for after the holiday), and Halloween sprinkles.

I found the Halloween marshmallows that are shaped like bats and ghosts, and are orange brown and white, but that is totally optional. You can totes use just white mallows and they are the same delicious flavor!

The Halloween Oreos too are (thankfully) original flavor! I'm not a huge fan of the flavored Oreos, but that's just me. Cut them up slightly to get chunky chunks of Oreos. You'll love it.

Anywhoooo, I think you can figure out the rest with the directions.

If you need a last minute, easy Halloween treat, these are the perfect solution!

Happy Halloween and stay safe!!! :)

Halloween Rice Krispie Treats | Printable Recipe

serves 12-15

ingredients:

-1/4 cup salted butter
-8 oz bag Halloween (or regular) marshmallows
-6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
-10-15 Halloween (or regular) Oreos, chopped into smaller chunks (depending on preference)
-Halloween (or other) sprinkles, to top

directions:

1. Take out a 9x13 jelly roll pan or casserole dish and spray well with non stick spray.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add all the marshmallows. Stir frequently, and heat until fully melted.
3. Once melted, immediately turn off heat and pour in the Rice Krispie cereal and Oreo chunks. Stir around until the cereal and cookies are fully coated with the marshmallow mixture.
4. Transfer quickly to the coated casserole dish, and press down to flatten out (a non stick spatula works great for this).
5. Top with sprinkles and press down to keep in place. Allow to cool before cutting into.

© Carla's Confections 2013

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

2013-10-16T03:00:00.000-07:00

Light and fluffy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that are so easy to make and only takes one ingredient swap to make vegan!

I am bringing an old post forward today with updated photos because I just cannot stop this pumpkin trend! I won't I won't I won't! And no one can stop me! ;)

I made these cookies last year when we were living in New Zealand still (I can't believe that was only last year!!) and they were such a huge hit! Vegan and all!

They were so good that the hubs begged me for them this year. He felt bad that they were already here on the blog so I couldnt make a blog post out of them.

Luckily the pictures were less than par, so I was able to kill two birds with one stone! (I hate that saying btw, but I dont think you'd get the new saying the hubs and I came up with lol).

And I am sorry about the updated photos if you are coming to this post from an old Pin, but I really don't want to be showing off those old photos anymore. I hope you'll forgive me for the update.

When I made these last year, I used homemade pumpkin puree, which I posted here on the blog, and is really quite simple to make, but lately I've been leaning toward the lazy side of life and buying the canned version. So feel free to take whichever route you prefer!

These cookies are so soft and pillow-y and the reason they are basically vegan is because they are eggless and dairy-less. If you want to make them fully vegan, simply eliminate the chocolate chips, or replace them with vegan chocolate chips! Easy peasy and uber delish!

You'll make all your friends happy, despite their eating habits!

And you'll probably make new friends too.

Just saying.

This is the time of year to bring on the extra friends right? That means more pressies and baked goodies during the holidays.

I have my priorities in check - this I know.

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Spiced Pumpkin and Almond Granola

2013-10-10T03:00:00.000-07:00

The delicious flavors of fall in a hearty breakfast of Spiced Pumpkin and almond Granola. Perfect for a bowl full of yogurt, or just to snack on it's own!

I think I say this every time I make something new, but I really think granola is my favorite breakfast to make.

It is so easy to throw together and it is really super simple to invent new flavors!

If you have never made homemade granola, you need to stop buying the boring grocery store stuff! It literally takes 10 minutes to throw granola together at home, and then you roast it in the oven for 45 minutes.

Not to mention the way your house will smell afterward!

Seriously, you need to get on it this minute!

I know there are plenty of Pumpkin Granola recipes out there, but I just couldnt help doing my own version to share.

T'is the season, right?

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Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake

2013-10-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

This Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake will really get you ready for Fall and goes absolutely perfect with a morning cup o' Joe!

Happy October!

So I might be a few days late to the punch line, but better late than never right?

I agree.

I finally did it. I broke out the can of pumpkin! And I might be slightly kicking myself in the pants for waiting so long. But I do know I wont be sick of it come Thanksgiving, so I guess that makes it worth it.

Alright, before we talk about this cake I need to get something off my chest.

Matt and I cannot seem to watch a TV series while it is actually on TV. We are always behind on it, thanks to either not having cable, or not having a place to live. You know, it's no big deal.

Anyway, we try to catch up on our fave shows via Netflix, and we started watching Lost a few months ago. We are up to season 4, but havent been watching it as regularly as we were before. Otherwise we would have been done by now.

Anywayyy, we are on season 4.

There are 6 seasons.

We have heard all about how the ending is super controversial, most people hate the ending, etc, and it just makes us want to get to the end all that more.

Then, this last weekend we decide to make a stupid decision.

I know what you're thinking, and no we didnt watch the series finale just to find out what happened.

No, we just made the dumb decision to watch a dumb movie.

Called This is 40. Heard of it??

Yeah.... not even mentioning how crass, vulgar and raunchy that movie is (seriously DON"T watch it!), it did the unthinkable!

It GAVE AWAY THE ENDING OF LOST! Are you flipping kidding me?!

Can you tell Im a little mad? Cause I am. Yeah I know we waited a super long time to start the series. Yes I know the series ended like two years ago, but what movie ever gives away the ending of... ANYTHING?!

Ok, ok Im off my soap box now.

In other news, we are thinking of starting Breaking Bad. Anyone want to give away that ending for me? (JK, please dont).

Now that I filled my daily quota of complaints, let's move on to the yummily delicious Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake.

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Chunky S'more Brownies

2013-09-30T04:00:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that it is the last day of September?! This seriously doesn't even seem possible.

Out with the campfires, shorts and even apples.

In with the pumpkin.

Get ready for that one.

But before we get there, I wanted one last reason to reminisce on summer. Because as much as I am ready for those pumpkin spice lattes and cuddling next to the fire, I am not ready for my pale skin to take center stage.

And I will never be ready to give up s'mores in some form or another.

I just can't get enough s'mores man.

And in addition to all that, September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and OXO reached out to me to participate by making brownies and blogging about them.

Talk about something easy to jump on board with!

OXO is helping out Childhood Cancer Awareness Month by doing a Cookies for Kids' Cancer Campaign and are donating up to $100,000 in 2013 in support of cancer awareness and research. They are also donating 25c for every item sold with the Cookies for Kids' Cancer logo on it (see bottom for specific sticker to look out for).

I don't know about you, but I couldn't think of a better reason to go out and buy some great OXO product right now.

And I'll make 2 dozen batches of cookies or brownies for that cause!

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Rustic Floral Vanilla Wedding Cake

2013-09-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

Before I get to the cake, I will tell you what the past couple weeks have looked like for us.

Matt got hired at his dream job in the dream city for us. For those who don't know, he is an animator, so the dream job for him is working at Pixar. And he got it! We could not have been more thrilled!

We drove to the bay, got a hotel and started working hard searching for a place to live.

Matt started work on Monday, and promptly came home 3 hours later.

Not normal. At all.

Turned out the movie he was set to be working on got pushed back a year and a half (a very smart move for the movie and the company as a whole), which unfortunately (for us) means that there is no work to be done anymore, and that was the reason they hired Matt, so lo and behold, Matt got laid off of his dream job on his first day of work.

Pretty heart breaking for us to be caught in the middle of this.

We really respect Pixar for being able to make the hard decision; it is just a tough timing for us. And hopefully Matt will be able to work there again, once the work picks back up.

But on the bright side, we had not signed any lease on an apartment, nor had we moved any of our stuff (it's all still in storage). We are also so close to our hometown that we are already back in Reno with family again.

Times could be worse.

But let's move on to something more positive and beautiful. The cake!

I made this cake for some friends of ours. I have known the bride for as long as Matt and I have been together. Her brother was best man in our wedding, and Matt has known the two of them since he was tiny tiny.

Next to Matt and I, they are the cutest couple on earth (the bride and groom, not the bride and her brother) ;) I wish I could tell you the story of how they met, but that would take a full blog post in itself. It is super cute, I'll tell you that much.

Anyway, back before they even got engaged, I told them, if they wanted, I would make their wedding cake for them.

Not sure what I was thinking when I said that, other than maybe **hopefully** they wouldn't take me up on the offer.

They did.

Obviously.

But I am truly truly so happy they did.

Oh did I mention this is my first and only wedding cake I have done?!

I guess the real question is what were they thinking taking me up on the offer!

Thankfully they didn't want fondant, because that would have been a whole new ball game for me. Buttercream, though, I could work with.

They were also very specific on what they wanted, which helped me a lot, but without the pressure. They were truly just so thankful that I was making the cake and didn't want me to feel too much pressure.

I was thankful for that aspect!

Oh! I didnt even mention that we know the couple from Reno, NV, but they live in and wanted to get married in Denver, CO.

Yeah, that made for some challenges!

I was working in a kitchen I was unfamiliar with, and with mixers that are smaller than mine (no way was I lugging mine halfway across the country!!)

But things went extremely well, and I am so happy with how the cake turned out! Just don't look at the flaws in it.

Thank goodness for giant flowers covering half the cake ;)

As stressful as making my first wedding cake in a town I have never been in, using tools Im not used to (and minus a car) was, stress didn't stop there. I'm sure you have also heard about all the flooding in Colorado. That happened to fall on the same week of the wedding. Most of the flooding was in Boulder, but Denver was certainly not in the clear.

As soon as I finished the cake and stuck it in the fridge to stay cool, the entire kitchen at the church flooded! Talk about perfect timing!

The couple, thankfully, were not picky about the flavor of the cake either, and since it was my first wedding cake, I wanted to make sure to use a very sturdy cake recipe.

My friend Erin, who is the face behind Dinners, Dishes and Desserts, came to the rescue with a tried and true vanilla cake recipe. You'll have to get it from her if you want it ;)

I did a three tier cake, 12", 8" and 4". The bottom and top tier were the vanilla cake, sandwiched with chocolate spread and salted caramel frosting in between, and the 8" tier was fake!

I used a styrofoam cake tier that I found at Michael's so the cake wouldn't so heavy that it collapsed. (link goes to Amazon, but not an affiliate link)

I learned that when using a fake styrofoam tier, your buttercream frosting needs to be uber stiff, otherwise, even after freezing it, it will rub off when adding more buttercream.

But even with those hiccups and all the other challenges I faced, I was so happy with the outcome and **GASP** I might even think about doing more wedding cakes.

Just don't tell that to my future self.

I might want to go back in time and slap my present self for saying that.

Anyway! What do you think of my cake and do you have any wedding cake tips? I'd love to hear them!

Apple & Salted Caramel No Churn Ice Cream

2013-09-19T03:00:00.000-07:00

Absolutely delicious and easy no churn ice cream with sweetly roasted apples and salted caramel sauce.

Sooo we are in full swing here in San Fransisco, lookin' for places to live, eating up a storm, and just down right enjoying this beautiful city!

But ooooh goodness guys! I am so excited about this recipe! I am really wishing I had more of it in the house right this moment. I guess I need to make it again soon!

Sooooo, I'm sharing this little gem over at Baked by Rachel today for her Apple A Day party. Oh boy I want every one of those recipes!!

Head on over and say hi to Rachel for me, and check out my Apple and Salted Caramel Ice Cream Recipe!

And next week, I will share with you our time in Denver, CO and talk to you about this next fun adventure!

Until then, happy apple month! See you over at Baked by Rachel's site!

Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Muffins (Guest Post)

2013-09-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Hey my friends! Remember me? I dont blame you if you are starting to forget. I think my life couldnt get any crazier right now. That's probably not true, but it feels pretty dang hectic right now, so while I am in the middle of hopping around the country, looking for places to live and allowing my hubby to start a new job (more on that soon), I thought I would ask my friend Jessica to post for me today.

I got to meet Jessica back in May at Food Blog Forum 2013, and it was obvious we were going to be fast friends! She is literally the sweetest person you will ever meet, and I cant get enough of her delectable treats (yeah I know I can rhyme!). I am seriously drooling over these babies she is sharing with you today. Now I wish we lived closer!

Ok, on to Jessica!

Hi! I’m Jessica, and I blog over at A Kitchen Addiction. I’m so excited to be here helping Carla out during this busy time for her. (Did you see the wedding cake that she just finished?! It’s amazing!) Since she doesn’t have to time to make amazing wedding cakes, pack, move, look for housing, etc. and still keep up with her regular blog posts (I have no idea why?! ;) ), I’m happy to be able to help her out in this little way!

If you read my blog at all, you know that fall baking is already in full swing. I love pumpkin and actually bake with it year round, but I figure most people don’t want to hear about it! So, as soon as it gets close to fall, my kitchen is in pumpkin over drive! I figured I would welcome fall to Carla’s blog by sharing these Pumpkin Cinnamon Roll Muffins with you.

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