Sweet Treats & Good Eats

Big Changes.... & a guest post!

2012-03-05T07:00:00.000-08:00

I just wanted to let everyone know that I'll be back. Soon!

I am lucky enough to be working with a blog designer that is giving Sweet Treats a makeover! I decided I needed to give the place a face lift to help me stay motivated! I'm leaning towards a simple & bright look. So, hopefully she will come up with something amazing! BUT, I also have to let you all know that I am guest posting TWICE this week over at Key Lime Digital Designs.

So head on over to her site, and check out the recipe I sent for Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins!

See you soon!

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Oh Valentines Day.... And an announcement.

2012-01-23T09:44:00.000-08:00

If you're a long time follower of my blog, you'll remember that my husband does not consider Valentines Day a holiday.

I, on the other hand, do. Which means that if I want any sort of pampering, or a good meal, I'll have to arrange it myself. I have tried to explain to my husband that a girl just needs a little TLC, and he responds with; 'Isn't that what anniversaries are for?' Pf..... Men.... So this year I have planned out the PERFECT day date for me & my Daxton. {for anyone new here, that's my two year old} We will start with a nice romantic getaway to Discovery Gateway, a children's museum here in Utah. After that, we will make our way to McDonald's & enjoy a nice meal of processed chicken nuggets & some fries followed by a lengthy two hour nap. As a special 'thanks for actually taking a nap' treat, I will then present him with a bowl of chocolate mousse! {It's ok to be jealous!}

Chocolate Mousse

{recipe slightly altered from this one: AllRecipes}

8 ounces mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup water, divided

2 tablespoons butter

3 egg yolks

2 tablespoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cups whipping cream, whipped

- In a double boiler {you can just put a glass bowl over a pan}, slowly heat the chocolate, 1/4 C. water, and the butter until the chocolate has melted, and all ingredients combine. Remove from the heat, and allow to cool for ten minutes.

- In a heavy saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and remaining water. Cook over low heat, stirring consistently, until the mixture reaches 160 degrees. Remove the pan from the heat, and gently whisk in the melted chocolate mixture. Stir in vanilla. Place your pan in the freezer for five minutes. Give it a good stir, then pop it back in for another five minutes. You need it to be completely cooled.

-Once you have it cooled, fold in the whipped cream. Spoon the mousse into individual dishes. Refrigerate for 4 hours, or up to overnight.

While I ~~will be~~ am sad about my husband boycotting the 14th, I do think this mousse will kind of make up for it. I am going to pass along a warning though, this stuff is highly addicting! I'd portion it out, and whatever you do, don't just toss it all in one big bowl! I may have eaten way too much while testing the recipe! Oh! Adding the raspberries also added a little special flare, but if you prefer your chocolate without the fruit, try shaving some chocolate pieces on top for an elegant look that's sure to impress!

Now that I got this amazing chocolate mousse post out of the way, I want to spend a second saying thank you to all of my readers. You guys are fantastic, and that's why it's hard for me to tell you this...

I tossed around the idea of getting rid of my blog over the Holidays. The big problem is this: I spend so many hours putting together recipes, taking pictures, and writing up posts... I feel like over half of my life is being taken over by the internet. The first thing I do every morning is jump on the computer to make sure my posts went up, check my email, and deal with any issues that might have happened in the last 12 hours.

What I should be doing first thing is spending time with my little boy.

I feel like I'm letting all of this precious time slip away. In the blink of an eye he's going to be off to school, and I will have missed out on a lot of quality family time. All because I needed to 'finish that post', or 'look for a sponsor'.

While I will not be giving up on baking, I am sad to say that I will be giving up blogging. If you stick around my facebook page, I will occasionally post photos of sweets I've made, and where you can find the recipe. It's hard to say goodbye, but I know that this is for the better.

Thank you to all of you for making the last year and a half so much fun.

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Another Cake!

2012-01-22T13:07:00.000-08:00

Remember me mentioning that there would be three cakes in the Double Chocolate Cake post? This is the final one!

It's a chocolate cake with oreo whip cream layers. These pictures just don't do it justice... I guess I'll just have to make it again... {oh darn!}

The chocolate cake recipe can be found here.

Oreo Whipped Cream

{recipe found at Annie's Eats}

1 3/4 cups plus 2 tbsp. whipping cream

3 tbsp. powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

6 tbsp. Oreo cookie crumbs (plus extra for topping)

- An important step in this is making sure you put your mixing bowl, and the whisk attachment, into the freezer for five or ten minutes before hand. You want it to be nice and cool.

- Begin to mix the whipping cream, using your whisk attachment, on low speed. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla, mixing on low until combined. Turn the speed up to medium/high, and continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Fold the oreo crumbs in with a spatula.

-Spoon the whipped topping onto the middle layer of your cake. Sprinkle with additional oreo crumbs. Top with your remaining layer cake, and more whipped cream. Decorate as desired.

I am super sad about these pictures... This cake is rich and chocolaty, but light at the same time. The Oreo's add a nice crunch, and fill your mouth with goodness!

If Oreo's aren't your thing, just leave the crumbs out of the recipe! I grew up with my Grandma making a chocolate whipped cream cake, and to this day, prefer it to any other cake! Pin It

My pantry is a mess...

2012-01-20T11:03:00.000-08:00

Wow. Organizing one room can be so overwhelming! I'm slowly loosing motivation. I have to thank my blog for keeping me going! If I wasn't posting these tips, there is no way I'd be able to keep myself motivated! Today, I decided to tackle my pantry. Making dinner has become somewhat of a challenge. Mainly because I have no idea where anything is. . . This is why:

There is absolutely NO way any sane person would live like this. Especially one that cooks as much as I do. I'm not even sure how I've been surviving the last couple of weeks. My spices are on every shelf, and if you're wondering why the heck there is a Del Taco bag on the second shelf... well... that's a great question...

To start, I cleared each self of it's contents...

Before I loaded things back into the pantry, I gave it a good cleaning with a non-toxic cleaner...

...and went through all of our medications, to weed out the expired ones. I was amazed at how many laxatives we had... I'm not even sure where the heck they came from, and over half had never even been opened! Oh, and just so you know, you shouldn't store your medications in your bathroom. I know that the term 'medicine cabinet' sounds like that's a good place to store them, but apparently the humid conditions cause the medication to be less effective or something.

Once I was done tossing out all of the expired medicine, I organized them into a cute little basket. I also pulled out my Spice Stack & loaded it up! We have a really deep pantry, which can make it hard to stay organized. So I grabbed some empty storage containers to help me keep track of a few things. One contains snacks for the kid. Another is filled with our candy supply. There is even one with all of the hot sauce packets that were hiding out in that del taco bag...

Here is a before and after shot. I feel like I haven't shared any amazing tips with you today.... But I couldn't resist showing off my spice stack... Also, if you're ever in doubt about pantry organizing, hop over to the dollar store and grab a few small bins. You can keep things organized in their own storage container which helps out with quick access to your supplies while you are cooking!

Don't forget to enter my Spice Stack Giveaway! And while you are at it, why don't you share some of your favorite organizing tips for an extra entry?

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Show of Hands... Who would like a giveaway?

2012-01-19T09:42:00.000-08:00

I was not planning on doing another giveaway for a looooooong time, but this product is so amazing, that I had to share it with all of you! Photo Credit Yep. It's a Spice Stack! When I got a box in the mail last week, I tore it open like a toddler ripping into a nicely wrapped gift. It was a little sad, but I couldn't wait to get this thing in my pantry! You see, I have one too many spices that are all over the place, and I was excited to get them all organized! No more moving from drawer to drawer looking for the spice I need! They are all going to be in one place!

Let me give you a little back story on the product...

The SpiceStack was dreamed up by product engineer Brian McLain. When Brian approached inventor Mark Greenwood with the stacked-drawer concept, Mark knew it was a winner. He had often seen his wife, an avid cook, search frustratingly for spices in her messy spice cabinet. (<--- totally me!)

The SpiceStack has appeared in an infomercial on national cable, and has also been featured in Family Circle, Women's Day, Cooking Pleasures, Women's World, Coastal Living and SkyMall Magazine. So chances are good that you've seen it out there!

They have 3 different models; The Original, Super, and Exact. They start out smaller, with the original holding 18 full sized spice bottles, and go up from there. One thing I liked, but didn't notice until the rack arrived, is that it comes with pre-printed labels, but also with plenty of blank labels so that you could make your own labels if you wished. The blank label sheet fit nicely through our computer printer, and has a label type # to help you format and print the labels. I'm not that obsessive-compulsive about it, but if you are, now you know that you can just go right ahead and be OCD to your heart's content.

I was a little worried about the drawers being too heavy, or pulling the whole box off of the shelf when I opened one drawer. Once I got all of my spices loaded, I decided to give it a test run. . . I pulled out the middle drawer, the one with the heaviest bottles, and let it dangle. I waited a few minutes, and NO sign of a problem! My Spice Stack will be making an apperance in tomorrows 'Ogranzation' post, so you will be able to see it in action!

I do have a little surprise for everyone!! The wonderful people over at Spice Stack are giving out one Original SpiceStack to a lucky Sweet Treats reader! Here is how you enter:

Mandatory:

Things got a little complicated over the holiday's, so I'm keeping this simple. Leave a comment on this post telling me why you want to win. Include your email address so I will be able to contact you!

EDIT: I decided to add a bonus entry, share this giveaway with your friends. I don't care how you do it, but leave a seperate comment telling me what you did to get the word out!

Pin It The giveaway starts now, and ends January 27th at 5pm MST. A winner will be chosen via random.org & announced sometime that day. I will send an email to the winner, and they will have 24 hours to respond, otherwise a new winner will be chosen.

I'm a sucker for a good cherry recipe...

2012-01-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month I was browsing some of my favorite food blogs when I came across this amazing cake over at Sprinkle Bakes. The colors were what initially drew me in, and once I found out it was a cherry cake, I knew I had to make it! For the record.... everyone voted this cake down, but I made it anyway... I'm so selfish...

Cherry Cake With Vanilla Bean Buttercream

(cake recipe only slightly adapted from Sprinkle Bakes & frosting adapted from Brown Eyed Baker )

For the cake:

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup whole milk

1/2 cup maraschino cherry juice

1 teaspoons almond extract

2 tablespoons flour for sprinkling over diced cherries

10 oz bottle maraschino cherries, finely chopped

Drop or two of red food coloring(I didn't need this)

4 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

-Preheat oven to 340 degrees. Prep your pans. (if you want to make two 9'' round cakes, I would double this recipe. It was perfect for two 6'')

-Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt and baking powder . Combine milk,cherry juice and almond extract, and add alternately to the butter and sugar with the flour mixture.

-In a small bowl, sprinkle the 2 tablespoons of flour over the diced cherries and stir until the flour has been completely absorbed. Stir cherries into the batter. Stir in food coloring if desired

-Fold stiffly beaten egg whites into the batter. Pour into cake pans and bake for up to 60 minutes. It's hard for me to give you an exact time, only because I don't know what size pan you will be using. For a 6'' pan, it took 20 minutes. Remove from pan and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.

For the buttercream:

2½ sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 T. Vanilla Bean Paste

2½ cups confectioners’ sugar
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-3 Tablespoons heavy cream

- In a standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter at medium-high speed until smooth, about 20 seconds. Add the vanilla bean paste and mix for about 15 seconds.

-Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar and salt. You'll want to beat at low speed until most of the sugar is moistened.. Scrape down the bowl and beat at medium speed until mixture is fully incorporated. Scrape the bowl, and add the vanilla followed by the heavy cream. You'll want to beat it about 4-5 minutes, or until your buttercream has become nice and fluffy.

I desperately wanted to get a good photo of the inside of the cake, but since this was for a surprise party I didn't get the opportunity to cut it before all of the chaos. . . I did, however, manage to get this horrible photo that will give you an idea of how amazing it looked.

And yes, that is chocolate cake attacking the cherry. We may, or may not have, used the same knife to cut all of the cakes... And by 'we' I mean someone else. I almost had a heart attack, but se la vie. No use getting upset over the small stuff.

As for the flavor of the cake... The jury is still out. I liked the cake. A lot. So did many of the guests. My husband, however, felt that something was missing.

Not that I minded at all... That only means more left over cake for me and Dax!

Pin It I'm linking up to: Tatertots & jello weekend wrap up

A Birthday Cake, or three...

2012-01-15T15:03:00.000-08:00

We had a surprise here at our place this weekend. Ok... technically it was upstairs, which is my in-laws home, but still the same general area. What was it? Well, you see, my sister in-law turned 30 yesterday. The big three zero. Her lovely husband decided it would be a lot of fun to get everyone together for a surprise party! How sweet is that? He sent out a mass email to all of her family and friends to let them in on the secret. My husband immediately told me that I would be severely punished if I let even a whisper out about their plans... You see, I am the WORST secret keeper of all time! It also didn't help that I hang out with the birthday girl at least four times a week... And the fact that she flat out asked me to my face if I knew of any birthday plans her husband had made for her... But I managed to avoid the question by throwing out this explanation: 'Shawnee, do you really think anyone would tell me anything? I can't keep anything a secret!' I couldn't believe that I didn't even crack a smile! It was easy to believe... considering most of that sentence is true! Back to the party. I volunteered to make the cake, or.... er.... cake(s), & was so excited! Until I remembered that I am HORRIBLE at cake decorating.... SO, as I share this recipe with you, I'd like for you to do me a favor... Squint. Like... a lot. There are imperfections all over this cake, but lets be honest.... it's all about the flavor, and I totally knocked it out of the park with this one!

Chocolate Cake

(don't even bother looking for another cake recipe... I am Baker shared this one, and it is AMAZING)

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups sugar

3/4 cups good cocoa powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup buttermilk, shaken

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee

- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Prep your pans, and make sure you line the bottom with parchment paper. It makes it sooo much easier to get them out after baking.

- In the bowl of your electric mixer, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

- In a large measuring cup, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Turn the mixer on low, and slowly stir the milk mixture into the dry ingredients. Once combined, stir in the coffee. Scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure there is no batter stuck to the sides.

Divide between your pans, and bake for 30-50 minutes. (Times will vary depending on the size pan you have. You can also substitute the coffee with sour cream, or yogurt). Cool cakes in the pan for 30 minutes. Run a knife along the edge, and flip onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.

Rich Chocolate Frosting

(Thank you Allrecipes)

1 C. unsalted butter

4-1/2 C. powdered sugar

1-1/4 C. good quality cocoa

1/2 t. vanilla

1/2 C. + 2T. Milk

- Cream your butter in the bowl of an electric mixer, using the whisk attachement.

- Slowly stir in the powdered sugar, cocoa, and vanilla. Add the milk and beat for a few minutes. Add more milk if you'd like a thinner consistancy.

This frosting is melt-in-your-mouth fantastic! There was a little extra, and it is very possible that it didn't make it to the fridge... I may have handed an extra spoon to my toddler, sat on the ground, and shared the bowl with him...

He told me it was the best ice cream I've ever made.

I'll take that compliment!

OH... and did I mention that I made THREE cakes?

I couldn't decide on a single flavor, so I decided to break out my 6 inch cake pans and give everyone an option! Later this week, you'll see two more cakes make an appearance on Sweet Treats! Any guesses on the flavor combinations?

Pin It I'm linking up to: Tatertots & jello weekend wrap up

Chocolate Milk, & What Happens When We Run Out Of Nesquick...

2012-01-13T05:30:00.000-08:00

My husband and son live off of chocolate milk. Not kidding, we went through 5 of those giant Nesquik containers that you buy at Costco in one year. Five in one year! Crazy... I know...

Just to clarify, we have a rule when it comes to Dax & his chocolate milk. He doesn't have it all of the time. First, he must eat every item on his plate, and second, it has to be with skim milk with not too much chocolate. This 'rule' is what has gotten our little guy to chow down every vegetable we serve him. It's also the reason he's come to love many green foods. He will ask me for green beans or broccoli before asking for candy. I am totally ok with that.

Well, the other night, Dax finished up his meal, turned to me and asked, 'Mom, may I have some chocolate milk please?'

How do you say no to a toddler with such great manners?

But then I realized we were all out of Nesquik!

WHAT???

I quickly reffered back to a few recipes I've bookmarked for homemade chocolate syrup & decided to give it a try...

Chocolate syrup

(recipe from Alton Brown)

1 1/2 cups water

3 cups sugar

1 1/2 cups Dutch-processed cocoa

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

-Start by bringing the water and sugar to a boil in a large pot. Whisk in cocoa, vanilla, salt, and corn syrup. Whisk until all of the ingredients are incorporated, and the solids have dissolved.

-Continue to cook over medium heat until the sauce has reduced, and slightly thickened. Strain and cool to room temperature.

-Store in squeeze bottles, or jars in the refrigerator. Whatever is easiest for you.

This is one of the BEST homemade syrups I have had. It's rich in flavor, and pairs great with a nice bowl of ice cream. We never eat ice cream, but I bought a special pint just for this! It also happens to be fat free. Can you believe that?

And SO easy. Seriously. You could not mess this up even if you were the worst cook in the world. That's how easy this is.

I read through the reviews from the original recipe, as I often do, and noticed a few people said the corn syrup didn't make that much of a difference. I think I might go ahead and try it without that next time!

Pin It I'm linking up at: Tatertots & Jello Weekend Wrap Up

Dear Coffee Enthusiasts...

2012-01-11T07:57:00.000-08:00

I have recently received a few emails asking me to create a specific cupcake. Everyone has asked for a different type of coffee cupcake, so I've combined all of your requests into one amazing cupcake!

Well, I've heard it's amazing. I personally don't like the taste of coffee. The smell, however, is always welcome in my home!

So what flavor won out in the coffee flavor war?

Mocha & white chocolate. I was terrified that the two flavors wouldn't blend together well, but my taste testers agreed that they were WONDERFUL. These little beauties even went on to please some very appreciative old colleges. So, without further delay, here is the recipe:

Mocha Cupcakes With White Chocolate Frosting

( Cupcake recipe from the talented Jamie over at My Baking Addiction, frosting from food.com)

For the cupcakes:

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup freshly brewed hot coffee
1 ½ teaspoons instant espresso granules

- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two muffin tins with paper liners and set aside.

- Shift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. In a large measuring cup, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Turn the mixer onto low speed, and slowly add your wet ingredients to the dry. Mix the espresso granules in with the coffee, and slowly stir into the batter.

- Divide the batter between the muffin tins, and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack & allow to cool completely.

For the Frosting:

1C. unsalted butter

2 C. Powdered sugar

6 oz. good quality white chocolate, melted and cooled

3 T. heavy cream

-Cream your butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Slowly add the powdered sugar, and mix until it is light and fluffy.

- Slowly stir in the melted chocolate. (make sure it's cooled a bit). Start adding the heavy cream 1T. at a time. You can add more if it seems a little thick, but three tablespoons worked great for me. Here is where it gets tricky.

It's going to look like the ingredients are not incorporating. Just be patient. Increase the speed of your mixer to medium speed, and continue to beat for 5 more minutes. It should start to look fluffy and amazing in no time.

These really did make my house smell amazing. If you are a coffee lover, these are for you. If not.... well.... then I owe you a cupcake!

Pin It I'm linking up at: Tatertots & Jello Weekend Wrap Up

I am pretty sure there are monsters under my kitchen sink...

2012-01-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

I don't know who else would make this mess!

This is under my kitchen sink. Ridiculous... I know. I'm actually not even sure how I let it get this bad... Or when it happened. I just know that one day, I opened the cabinet, quickly shut it, and made a promise to myself never to open it again... The worst part? This is only ONE side!

The other side has some misc. cleaners, paint, paint brushes, scentsy bars, and sooooo many more random things...

Ugh. What a perfect place to start my Organizing segment! The kitchen...

Mainly, I want to share with you what I did with all of those bags. I like to use them for random things around the house & also to keep in the car for emergencies. But we had way too many! The first thing I did was divide them in half, so I could take some to wal mart and throw them in their recycling bin. The other half I folded. Small.

I know it sounds time consuming, but I found a great tutorial over on Organizing Your Way that made it quick & painless.

Before I get started, you have to promise you won't make fun of me... You see, I have been living in sweats. It's sad... I know. But my philosophy is this; If I'm not going to leave the house, why wear down a good pair of jeans?

How to Fold Grocery Bags:

- First, grasp the bottom of the bag in one hand, and the loops in the other. Pull nice and tight.

- Next, grip the bottom of the bag in your palm. Twist the bag around two fingers. Make sure you pull nice and tight.

- Finally, when you get to the end of the bag, wrap the loops around your tightly wound ball. You should end up with something like this:

Small, and easy to store. Plus you won't end up fighting through a million bags when you need to grab one in a hurry!

Once I was done with all of those, I got rid of some of the clutter, and apparently paint brushes and scentsy bars don't really belong under the sink. At least, that's what my husband tells me. So I stashed those in my craft room, you'll be excited to see the giant mess in there when we get to it, and rearranged the rest of the items to be a little more functional.

Here is how it turned out:

I got the purple basket from the dollar store to keep the bags in. I have to say, this is much more functional! I'm loving how nice it is that I don't have to dig towards the back of the space to grab a garbage bag! And Dax has been running around the house yelling, 'It's SO clean under there!' for the last few days.

Before I go, I'll leave you with a quick before and after shot:

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You Can't Always Get What You Want! Well, in this case, you can!

2012-01-07T05:30:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, I got homesick. Really homesick. You see, my sister called to brag about my mom's taco's, and let me know that they would be having homemade taco's for New Years. She also was kind enough to let me know that she would gladly eat one for me. Brat. Everyone that knows me understands that I have a deep love for those tacos. They would be my last meal. There is just something wonderful about those deep fried shells and homemade refried beans. If only I knew how to make them... Oh wait! I do! Unfortunately, I didn't have small corn tortillas on hand, or taco seasoning, so my tacos became burritos, and the homemade beans were from a can... (heating them up counts as homemade, right?). Burritos... close enough! I found a great recipe for the taco seasoning, and decided I had to share.

DIY Taco Seasoning

(recipe found on Allrecipes)

1 tablespoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

- Mix all of your ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle desired amount over browned beef. Store remaining seasoning in air tight container.

I am almost betting you didn't realize it was this easy. Did you?

What I loved about this recipe is the fact that I already had everything in my cabinet. I was a little worried about the amount of cumin, but the beef turned out fantastic. It gave it a little extra kick that I really think added a great flavor to our burritos!

Pin It I'm linking up at: Tatertots & Jello Weekend Wrap Up

I know the Holiday's are over, but....

2012-01-05T05:30:00.000-08:00

I can't help but slip this recipe into the line up! Christmas & New Years have come and gone... Our tree was taken down, decorations packed away, and the only thing left to do was give my home a good once over. I meant serious business too. I would leave no space untouched. Starting with the kitchen! The only problem with that is that I made it to the fridge, found some eggnog that needed to be used ASAP, and decided to save the cleaning for another day!

Eggnog Snickerdoodles

(recipe only slightly adjusted from the one I found on What Katie's Baking)

1 ½ c flour

½ stick butter

½ cup sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup eggnog

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 cup sugar + 1-1/2t. cinnamon

- Don't preheat your oven just yet. Whisk the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a medium measuring cup. Set aside.

- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together your butter & the 1/2 C. sugar. Beat for about two minutes, or until it's nice and fluffy. Slowly stir in the egg as well as the eggnog.

- Here is where it can get a bit tricky. Remove the bowl from the electric mixer. (That's right... we're doing the rest by hand. But trust me. They turn out that much better.) With a spatula, fold in the dry ingredients. Be careful not to over mix. Cover, and refrigerate at least two hours.

- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Mix together the 1/8 C. sugar and the cinnamon in a shallow dish. Pull your dough out of the refrigerator. I use a small ice cream scoop, but you can use a tablespoon, to scoop out small amounts of dough, and roll into a ball. place your ball into the cinnamon mixture, and coat.

- Continue with the remaining dough, placing each ball about two inches away from the rest. Bake for exactly 10 minutes. Trust me. No more. No less. They are done.

- Cool on a wire rack, and enjoy!

While I didn't get much cleaning done, I did manage to make some outstanding cookies that are most likely not going to make it through the end of the day.

Oh, and a side note, I was hoping these would be a little more dense then they turned out. They are more cake-like then I was expecting. So if you are looking for more of a traditional snickerdoodle taste, hang in there. I'm working on a new recipe for that!

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I'm linking up @: Tatertots & Jello Weekend Wrap Up,

A New Year, A New Weekly Feature... Oh, And I Guess Some New Resolutions...

2012-01-03T14:14:00.000-08:00

I've been putting off resolutions... Every year I make resolutions that are ridiculous, or that I know I'll never be able to keep up with. (examples: No sugar, exercise more...) This year is different! I've come up with TWO great resolutions that I know I will be able to handle! Even my husband agrees. Both were well thought out, and very 'do'able! The first resolution has to do with my home. Not necessarily the people in it, but the home itself. Being a stay at home mom has been so amazing, but I'm getting ready to start school, and things are a huge mess. I admit to being one of those people that shove things into the closet when I know someone will be stopping by. . . I truly feel I'm allergic to the broom. The vacuum should be on that list too!

(image source)

So my first goal is to organize at least one thing a week. ONE thing. Easy enough! And that is where my blog comes in. I'm starting a new feature on my site. I'm still working on what to call it, but basically I will be posting an organizing tip of some sort once a week. I've already tackled a few tasks, and let me tell you... the pictures we've been taking are hilarious! I can't wait to share some of these amazing resources and tips! (By the way. . . If anyone has a suggestion on what to call this 'feature' please let me know!) My second resolution is to spend some quality time with my family. I also found a cute idea on pinterest that even my husband agreed would be fun.

(Image Source)

Here is what you do... You get a big jar, some Post-It notes, and a pen. Every time you make a memory, big or small, you write it down & toss it in the jar. On December 31, 2012 you take your jar and dump it out. You read through all of the things that were put in, and reminisce over all of the great times you and your family had throughout the year. I just think that's a fantastic way to remember some of the smaller things that are often taken for granted. I plan on putting all of our notes into a book, that way we will have something fun to read throughout the years. Now, what are some of your resolutions? Pin It

Dear Moochies... Why must you be so far from my home?

2012-01-02T05:30:00.000-08:00

There is a place in downtown Salt Lake that holds the key to my heart. It's kind of a small place. In fact, it doesn't look that amazing at all. But anyone that has eaten there knows how unbelievably wonderful the food at Moochies is. It's the place we almost always go on date night, and swing by when we visit the zoo. The only problem I have is that it is sooooo far away. When I get those cravings for a great Philly cheeseteak, I remember how long the drive is, & how much I hate buckling Dax into the car... SO, when I saw a sandwich on the Rachel Ray Show, I almost couldn't contain my excitement!

Philly Cheesesteak Sloppy Joes

(recipe slightly adapted by Rachel Ray)

1 pound ground beef

1 softball-sized onion, chopped

1 large green pepper, chopped

1 cup beef stock

Salt and ground black pepper

4 ciabatta sandwich rolls

1 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon +1-1/2 teaspoons flour

1 cup milk

1 cup provolone, shredded

- Brown you beef in a large skillet. Add the chopped onion and pepper. Continue to cook an additional 3-4 minutes, or until your onions are soft. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in your beef stock, and bring to a light simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and start the cheese sauce.

- In a medium sauce pan, whisk together the butter and flour. Heat until just bubbly. Slowly incorporate the milk. Bring to a boil, and allow the sauce to thicken. Once your desired thickness is reached, remove from heat and stir in the provolone. Keep stirring until it is fully melted.

- Lightly toast your buns using a small amount of butter and your broiler. Top the bun with the meat mixture followed by some cheese.

My husband decided that this was a good sandwich. It was, however, missing a little heat...

Moochies has this fantastic jalapeno cream sauce that I have yet to replicate. I don't know what they put in it, but on top of a Philly, it's just amazing.

I asked how he felt about the sandwich other then that, and his response was this;

'We should add it to the 'family favorites' file! For sure.'

You could also use ground sirloin, like Rachel, but we are cheap and I felt the sandwich was great with the ground beef. Plus it saved me some mula. :0)

What are some of your family favorites?

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I'm linking up @: Tatertots & Jello Weekend Wrap Up,

What to do with a bottle of Vodka

2011-12-31T05:00:00.000-08:00

This year my husband's family decided to do a fun gift exchange between the sisters & sister in-laws. Everyone had to come up with something homemade to hand out, and we would swap Christmas day. The first thing I thought of was homemade vanilla. It's making a buzz all over the food blog world right now, and it seemed perfect. But I'm a huge procrastinator, and the stuff takes anywhere from 6 weeks to 6 months to cure... I bought the beans, and lets just say forgot about them until two weeks before the Holiday... So I quickly switched gift ideas to some homemade scarfs paired up with hot cocoa mix & homemade marshmallows. It was lucky I did because one of the ladies made some vanilla for us! No one in the family is big on drinking, and she had some extra vodka, so I decided to try out a few different vanilla recipes! Today, I'm sharing just your basic Vanilla Extract...

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Vanilla beans

Vodka

Containers

-Place one or two vanilla beans into your container. Fill with vodka & seal. place in your pantry & forget about it.

- If you remember, pull it out & give it a good shake once a week.

- You can start using your vanilla 3 weeks after you've first combined the beans with the vodka. Ideally, you'll want to wait 6 months.

This would make a great neighbor gift, or could be a great way to use up any leftover alcohol from your New Years Parties! I haven't been able to try out the extract, but so far it's looking great!Pin It

Let's Make Crepe's

2011-12-29T08:45:00.000-08:00

I don't really know why, but I got the itch to make crepe's this morning. I seemed to remember them being fairly easy in the past, so the plan was to whip some up last minute. I got up, got the little guy situated with his morning glass of milk, and got to work. The Our Best Bites cookbook is always my go-to recipe book. So I pulled it out, and quickly scanned through the recipe. Sounded easy enough. . . It wasn't. What the heck was I thinking? I should never be aloud in the same room as a hot pan ever again! I think I set a record for how many times one person can touch a hot pan in ten minutes! It's pretty ridiculous that I didn't learn the first time! However, after one or two failed attempts, my crepe's started to come together smoothly, and we managed to get some good ones out of the batch!

Crepe's

(recipe found in the Our Best Bites cookbook)

2 eggs
2 Tbs canola oil
3 Tbs sugar
1 C flour
1 1/3 C milk

- Combine all of your ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth & no lumps remain. (I guess you could do this by hand, but the blender option sounded a bit more appealing to me)

- Heat a non-stick skillet over medium/high heat. Here's where it can get tricky. Hold your heated pan with one hand, and pour a small amount of batter with the other. Twirl the pan so the batter coats the entire bottom of your skillet. You want the batter pretty thin. Cook for around 30 seconds, then run a sillicone spatula around the edges of your crepe. Flip, and continue cooking for 15-20 seconds.

- Here is where you can get creative. You can fill your crepes with a number of delicous things, OR you can simply dust it with powdered sugar. Dax decided he'd like a littl nutella inside of his, and me? I went with the classic powdered sugar and whipped cream!

Next time I've decided to make a strawberry syrup, or maybe even a vanilla!

Once you get the hang of these, it's hard to stop! I made 20 extra & layered them with wax paper. I placed the stacked crepe's into a ziploc bag and threw them into the freezer. I figure they'll make great snacks, or last minute breakfast for those days I just don't feel like cooking!

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I'm linking up @: Tatertots & Jello Weekend Wrap Up,

Time to Party Like It's 2012!

2011-12-27T15:40:00.000-08:00

Well, Christmas is over.... **sigh** It seems like I just can't wait for it to get here, but once it's here... it seems to go by too quickly! Luckily, there is one more Holiday to celebrate soon! New years is just around the corner, and I know that means P-A-R-T-Y time for a lot of you! Our plans? We are going to get 'wild and crazy', and celebrate a few hours early with Dax. We want him to be able to experience the thrill of bringing in the New Year, without the headache of an grouchy sleep deprived toddler. AND, since I have a few other obligations that are going to take priority over the blog, I decided to put together a fun list of things I've seen around the internet that would be PERFECT for your New Years get togethers! I am always looking for fun little gift ideas for close friends or neighbors. I saw these New Years In A Box ideas over at Dandee Designs last year. These Banana Split Bites are a fun twist on the classic ice cream dessert! We are planning on making these beauties for our 'stay at home' party. The bright colors of the sprinkles are sure to please little Dax. And for the adults? How about these Strawberry Champagne Cupcakes from Annies Eats? As a fun little gift for your guests, consider putting together some cute little New Years Resolution Reminder Bracelets! Hopefully these get you started on all of you party planning! Pin It

Cookies For Santa!

2011-12-23T07:33:00.000-08:00

Can you believe Christmas eve is TOMORROW??? We are SO excited! Today, we're getting ready to bake up some cookies for Santa. This is the first year Dax will really be involved, so I decided to let him pick what kind we make! However, I wanted to give you some options as well! Here are a few of our favorites! Candy Cane Biscotti. Chocolate Whoopie PiesChocolate Whoopie Pies Gingerbread Cookies With Complimenting Eggnog Dip Homemade Oreo's Chocolate Chunk Cookies

And now, can I get a drum roll please?

The cookies we will be making are.............

Oreo Truffles!

(Mainly because we had some earlier this week, and it was decided that these are Dax's new favorite.)

So here is the SUPER simple recipe:

Oreo Truffles

(recipe from my friend Cassie!)

1 package of Oreo cookies

8 oz of cream cheese

Chocolate or Almond Bark

- Start by throwing your oreo's into a blender or food proccesor. You want them to be crumbled pretty well.

- Next, mix in the cream cheese. Once that is well combined, roll out small amounts of dough into balls. If you are using a white chocolate, or almond bark, you should chill these for at least an hour.

- Melt your chocolate, and dip each ball until well coated. Place on wax paper, and allow to set.

**If you want to add sprinkles, or cookie crumbles to the top, make sure you do it before your chocolate has time to set!**

How easy are those?

I have a feeling that 'Santa' is going to like them as well. Considering he already ate over half of them!

Edit to the last sentence: Dax just informed me that Santa does like them. Because I am Santa.... Smart little boy....

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Tatertots & Jello Cookie Exchange

2011-12-20T09:05:00.000-08:00

I know I said I was taking a break.... BUT, I wanted to share one last thing with all of you! A while back I attended the Tatertots & Jello Cookie Exchange! It was so much fun, and I got to meet a lot of great bloggers! Stop by Jen's site today and check out some of the amazing cookie recipes!Pin It

Happy Holiday's!

2011-12-19T05:30:00.000-08:00

Can you believe it's just 5 DAYS Until Christmas??? I sure can't! Time is flying by! That is why I've decided to take a little time off of the blog. Not long, don't worry. Just this week. I want to spend a little time with this little guy:

I've heard that the little ones grow up too fast, but didn't want to believe it. I looked at my little boy yesterday and realized, he is not so little anymore! I want to take him to do some fun Holiday things this week, so that means no new posts until Monday the 26th!

I love you all, and hope you have a wonderful Christmas!

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The 'Worth Killing For' Holiday Cupcake

2011-12-18T05:30:00.000-08:00

I wanted to make a KILLER cupcake for this years family Christmas party. I am happy to say I've succeeded.

Well... According to one of my good friends! You see, these cupcakes have turned her into a cupcake hoarding monster. Actually, two monsters. Her husband is getting pretty bad himself. She stopped by to drop off the cutest little gift, and in return, I let her sample the mini cupcakes I was planning on taking to the party that afternoon. The look on her face said it all... But the words that came out of her mouth really made me laugh... ' Jess, if these were at my family party, I would stand by the tray and physically hurt anyone that tried to touch them. I'd say they were even good enough to kill for!' SO I packed some up in a box just for her, and sent her on her way! I received a call later that day begging for more cupcakes! I don't recommend killing anyone for these cupcakes, but you should add them to your baking list. Especially if you liked my gingerbread cookies & eggnog dip!

Gingerbread Cupcakes & Eggnog Frosting

(recipe's thanks to Allrecipes & Eat Cake For Dinner)

For the frosting:

3/4 C. Sugar

1/4 C. flour

3T. Corn starch

1/4 t. salt

1-1/2 C. Eggnog

2t. vanilla

3 sticks of butter

a pinch of nutmeg

For the cupcake (makes 3 dozen minis):

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup unsulfured molasses

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon Dutch process cocoa powder

1 1/4 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup hot milk

- Start the frosting the night before you're ready to start baking.

- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, corn starch, salt, and eggnog. Place a fine strainer over the top of a saucepan, and pour the mixture directly into the strainer. Turn on the heat to medium, and start to cook. You'll want to make sure you continually mix, so the eggnog doesn't stick to the bottom. Once your mix has reached a boil, continue to cook until it's thickened to the consistency of pudding. Remove from heat.

- Transfer the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer, and place in the refrigerator over night.

- The next morning, take the eggnog mixture out of the fridge, and set it aside.

- Lets start those cupcakes. Cream the butter, and sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly mix in the molasses, until combined. Add the egg & yolk, one at a time.

- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, salt, and baking soda. You are now going to alternately add the dry ingredients with the milk into the butter mixture. You want to start, and end, with the dry ingredients. Mix well.

- Spoon into lined, or greased, muffin tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, if mini's, or 15-20 if regular sized. Remove from the oven when a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely.

- Back to the frosting. Begin to whip the eggnog mixture with an electric mixer. Add the vanilla, and stir until combined. Add the soft butter and whip it. Whip it good! (sorry, couldn't help myself). You'll want to beat it until it's light and fluffy.

- When the cupcakes are cooled, pipe, or spoon the frosting onto the top of your cupcakes. Enjoy!

So, from the view of someone that is anti-eggnog... I'll tell you...

These are actually really good.

I was surprised I liked them.

My husband is anti- gingerbread, and he even ate a couple.

Overall, I'd have to say these are winners in the sweet treats book!

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PS, I want to take a second to thank Jenn from the blog Eat Cake For Dinner. Girl, your frosting is AMAZING. I searched and searched, but nothing even came close to the flavor of this eggnog goodness!

Nothing goes better with a nice cup of hot chocolate...

2011-12-16T09:35:00.000-08:00

Making marshmallows has been on my to-do list for ages.I've been a little intimidated, mostly because I heard it was a MESS. But, due to a Holiday gift idea, I decided to just go for it! (details on the gift idea coming later this week)Let me also give you a little peek inside the conversations me & my husband had while I was making these things... Husband, 'Seriously Jess? You could just go to the store and grab a huge bag of these for like $1' Me, 'Probably, but these aren't really that much work. And besides, I need them to be homemade.' Husband, 'Well, it looks like a lot of work. I'm not helping you. Don't even ask.' And by don't even ask, I'm sure he really meant, I wanna help! Because he did. . . .

Homemade Marshmallows

(recipe from Alton Brown)

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

12 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 1 1/2 cups

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

To get things started:

-Pour half a cup of the ice water into the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the packets of unflavored gelatin. Set aside.

- In a medium sized saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and remaining water. Stir well, and cover. Heat on medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove the lid, and attach a candy thermometer to the side of the pan. Continue to heat until it reaches 260 degrees. (about 7-8 minutes). Remove from the heat.

- Attach the whisk attachment to your electric mixer, and begin whisking the gelatin on low speed. Drizzle your syrup down the side of the bowl. You want to make sure you add it slowly. Once all of the syrup is added, turn the speed up to high. It will be mixing for a while, so now is the perfect time to get your pans ready.

I made mini marshmallows, if you'd like directions for large ones, head over to Alton's website!

Here is how you'll make the mini's:

-Combine the corn starch and powdered sugar.

-Line 4-6 cookie sheets with parchment paper, and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Lightly dust the surface with your sugar mixture.

- After your marshmallow has been mixing for about 14 minutes, add the vanilla. Continue mixing for one additional minute. Place a 1/2 inch piping tip into a piping bag, and fill with your marshmallow mixture. Pipe straight lines across the surface of your pans. Dust with a little of the powdered sugar mixture. It will look something like this:

Except with more pans....

& it doesn't have to be perfect! Remember, we're just going to eat them!

Let them sit overnight. In the morning, take a pizza cutter, and slice up your small pieces. This is kind of time consuming, and the only part I really dreaded.... But it was still not as bad as I expected.

Once you've got your pieces all cut, you'll need to dust with another layer of your powdered sugar mixture. Mostly, you want to get the sides that are freshly cut.

Store your marshmallows in an air tight container.

You can also get a little crazy, and design different shapes. Here's my husband, who said I was crazy for making these, going to town designing some of his own:

Here's a peek at the snowman poop him & Dax thought was hilarious....

Boys...

Here are some quick clean up tips to help keep things mess free. As soon as you're done piping your marshmallow strips, get your utensils & bowl into some hot soapy water. The sticky treat falls right off!

I'm sure you could even add some different extracts. Maybe some peppermint?

Pin It I'm linking up here: Tatertots & Jello

Candy Cane Biscotti (New Version)

2011-12-15T05:30:00.000-08:00

Can you guess what the most pinned post was November & the beginning of December? If you said Candy Cane Biscotti, you're wrong! Ha, I totally tricked you! It was ACTUALLY, my gingerbread cookies with eggnog dip! But the candy cane biscotti came in a close second. Which is totally embarrassing. The pictures were horrible, and the post was insanely boring! I had to do something about that.... fast! So when I found out I was going to attend the Tatertots & Jello Cookie Exchange, I saw it as the perfect opportunity to redeem myself. Pictures, and post content! These are, after all, my favorite holiday cookie!

Candy Cane Biscotti

(Original recipe can be found on Annies Eats, although I changed just a tad.)

2½ cups all-purpose flour

1½ tsp. baking powder

¼ tsp. salt

8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup sugar

3 large eggs

2/3- 1 cup finely chopped peppermint candies, plus extra for garnish

7 oz. white chocolate

- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line one large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

- In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside,

- Cream together your butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the eggs one at a time. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients. Once it is fully combined, add the crushed candy canes.

- Divide the dough into four equal parts. (I rolled mine into a ball, and cut it in half, then each section in half.) Roll each into a 9x1-1/2 inch rectangle, and place on your prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes, OR until lightly browned. Remove from the oven, and cool for ten minutes.

-Slice 1/2 inch slices along each log. I know at this point it is VERY tempting to just gobble up these amazing gems, but resist the temptation! Place each cookie face up on a parchment lined cookie sheet, and bake at 325 degrees for 15 minutes.

- Pull from the oven, and carefully slide the cookies, along with the parchment, onto a cooling rack.

- While the cookies cook, melt your white chocolate according to the directions on the package. Place in a squeeze bottle.

- Drizzle, or squeeze, the chocolate across the tops of each cookie. Sprinkle with additional candy cane crumbles if desired. Let the chocolate set, and VOILA!

Were they a hit at the cookie exchange?

Well, it's hard to tell. BUT, they were a big hit with my husbands family. They are all biscotti lovers.

These are actually great to pack up and take to neighbors. One batch produces a billion cookies. Ok, ok, maybe not a billion. More like 5 dozen. But add some of these to some hot cocoa packets & you've got yourself one fancy gift!

Pin It I'm linking up here: Tatertots & Jello

I Love Breakfast

2011-12-14T05:30:00.000-08:00

I think the main reason I love breakfast is the fact that I can make desserts, and call them a meal. Seriously. Pancakes? Cinnamon rolls? French toast? Donuts? Like I said, dessert for breakfast! Dax loves it as well. My husband? He's more of an eggs and bacon kind of guy. BUT, there are two sweet things he actually looks forward to in the mornings. The first, my french toast. Mostly because it's so different. I really need to post it on here at some point. Basically I use heavy cream instead of milk, and throw in a little orange zest. SO good! The second thing he looks forward to is monkey bread. LOVES it. The only problem I have is that you bake it in a bunt pan, and it's soooooo much for three people to finish. We always feel like we have to finish it too... We hate to see all that cinnamon goodness go to waste! That's when I decided to do some research, and make the mini version!

Mini Monkey Bread

(recipe from Pillsbury)

1/2 cup butter, melted

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

2 cans (7.5 oz each) refrigerated biscuits, room temperature

Line a 12 cup muffin tin with tin foil. Spray with cooking spray.

Mix the melted butter and brown sugar in a small bowl. Spoon one tablespoon into the bottom of each cup. Mix the cinnamon and sugar in a large Ziploc. Set aside.

Break open those biscuits. (I hate that pop...) Cut each one into 6 pieces. Place in the sugar filled Ziploc, and give it a shake.

Pack the sugar coated pieces into each muffin cup. (about ten per cup) Bake, at 350 degrees, for about twenty minutes. You'll want to keep a close eye after about 15. Oven temps vary, and you want them to be golden brown, but not too dark.

Let them cool for about five minutes, then dump them upside down onto a serving tray. Be prepared for a gooey mess, but it's worth the clean up!

The last picture is a little blurry, but just know that I was fighting a two year old that wanted one of these NOW! It's not easy to keep him away. Especially when I've been getting him all worked up to eat one. Good job on my part, right?

Overall these are fantastic. We pulled out a few to see if 'flipping' the pan really made a difference. It does. Don't skip that step!!

OH, and the extra's go great into the freezer!

Pin It I'm linking up here: Tatertots & Jello

My secret wepon when it comes to freezing foods

2011-12-12T17:18:00.000-08:00

I was getting ready to freeze some amazing homemade tomato soup the other day, and decided to google the best way to store it in the freezer. I wanted it to be easily accessible, and maybe even pre-divided into individual servings. My husband said I was being picky, but I knew there was a way. You are probably going to laugh at first, but trust me when I say, the method I discovered is amazing. Truly. It's very possible that I'm just the last to know about this, but we'll see... That's right. A cupcake tin. You just ladle your soup, chilli, pasta, or any other item into your tin, toss it in the freezer for an hour, pull it out, and place the discs into a giant Ziploc! How did I not realize this? Each disc equals about 1/2 an adult serving. So 1 child serving. Tonight, I decided to freeze one of our favorite Mac & Cheese recipes. We always make way too much, and can't finish it in time. But now, I have some prepared disc for Dax's lunch! And having the homemade stuff around really cuts down the sodium!

I know I talk about freezing food a lot over here...

As a family of 3, we have a hard time finishing leftovers fast enough, and end up throwing away sooooo much food. Since I've started freezing half of every recipe, we've noticed a huge change in the amount of waisted food. If you've been intimidated by the freezer in the past, now is the perfect time to get past those fears!

Do you guys have any tips for food freezing beginners?

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