My new addiction... Banana Cream Pudding Cake

 

Banana Cream Pudding Cake

 

 

This is the most delicious and moist cake. I made it for Easter this year and I crave it all of the time. It is simple to make and even more delicious the next day.

 

 

 

I'm not usually big on cake box mixed but for this recipe they work fine which makes it even easier to make. I make my cake with apple sauce and egg whites instead of eggs and oil. I also added a a whole mashed banana to the cake batter which made the cake banana flavored as well.

 

 

Bake the cake as directed until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely and poke holes in it. I used the handle of a wooden spoon but you can use a straw, skewer, or anything else you have on hand.

 

 

Make banana cream pudding as directed on the packages. I've used both the instant and the one you have to cook, either works great. Save half of the mix of one of the packages, cut the liquid on directions in half and mix, keep half in powder form. Mix until just before it begins to set and pour half of the prepared pudding mix all over the cake. Make sure you get into the holes. Let the rest of the pudding mix set then spread that on top.

 

 

 Add sliced bananas all over the top of the set pudding. You can make them as thick or thin as you'd like. I prepared the cake and covered it in pudding the night before wrapped it in plastic, and kept it in the refrigerator over night. I sliced the bananas over it and finished preparing it the next morning so that the banana slices would be fresh and not brown for our picnic.

 

 

Mix container of cool whip with the remaining banana cream pudding mix in powder form. Fold powder in the cool whip instead of mixing which causes the cool whip to deflate. Mix until the pudding is no longer grainy. You can add as little or as much as you like. Top the cake with banana cream flavored cool whip, vanilla wafer crumbles, and whole wafers. Refrigerate and enjoy!! :)

 

 

 

Perfect match..Jalapeño and Cheese Corn Bread

 Jalapeño and Cheese Corn Bread

 

 

This corn bread is the perfect pair to my Tex-Mex Chili. It makes the house smell so good you'll want to make it all the time. Its a really quick and easy to make not to mention delicious. Be careful not to use too  jalapeño otherwise it'll be really spicy. Enjoy! :)

 

I like to use Jiffy or Betty Crocker corn bread but any of them work just follow the directions on the package. As with all of my recipes you can omit or replace any of the ingredients and it will still be delicious. :)

 

 

 Jalapeño and Cheese Cornbread

 

2 Package Corn bread mix (any kind)

plus egg, milk, butter, whatever the package asks for 

1/4 Cup Shredded cheddar cheese

1 Can Corn kernels

1 Small can Diced green chilies (drained)

1/4 Cup Chopped Green Peppers, red peppers, and/or yellow peppers

1/4 Cup Red onion chopped

1/4-1/2 of one  jalapeño finely chopped

Sour cream if needed

 

Start by mixing the cornbread mix as directed on the package, add cheddar cheese, all of the peppers, corn, chilies, onion, and  jalapeño to the mixture. Add about a tablespoonful of sour cream if the batter seems too dry. Sprinkle a little bit more cheese on top. Bake according to directions on package let cool and enjoy!

Cozy up with this big pot of Easy Tex Mex Chili

Easy Tex Mex Chili

 

 

For some reason I always crave a big bowl of delicious chili on rainy days. I love to put it on top of Fritos Scoops, or alongside my yummy Jalapeno and Cheese Cornbread. This recipe is really easy and can be made with countless variations. I have made this using different beans, with or without corn, with jalapenos, and its always delicious. So be creative, and add or leave out whatever you like or don't like.

 

 

 

 This recipe is really easy and can be made with countless variations. I have made this using different beans, with or without corn, with jalapenos, and its always delicious. So be creative, and add or leave out whatever you like or don't like.

 

One of the many things I learned from my mom is that you can never be without garlic, bell pepper, onion, and tomato. It's the base of almost everything I cook.
 

Start by browning your meat of choice, I use ground beef. Drain excess liquids then add the bell pepper, garlic, tomato, and onion continue to cook until the veggies are tender.

 

 

For this recipe I used a poblano pepper to make it spicier. I also added more diced tomato to the pot along with browned meat, tomato sauce, red kidney beans, black beans, chili beans, or any beans you like, chili seasonings (any kind works). To this particular pot I added a can of diced tomatoes along with the fresh ones only because I had them in the cupboard, but using just the fresh tomatoes will do. You can also make it in the crock pot and let it simmer while your at work. The longer it cooks the thicker it becomes. This recipe makes a lot so it's excellent for leftovers or get togethers. Any day of the week, whether its cold or hot this chili is delicious. Enjoy! :)

 

 

Easy Tex-Mex Chili

Ingredients:

1 Lb. Lean ground beef or turkey

1 /2 Green bell pepper



1/2 Medium onion red, white, or yellow
2 Cloves of garlic
3-4 Tomatoes diced
1 Packet Chili seasoning
1 Can Red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Black beans, drained and rinsed
1 Can Chili beans
1 Can Corn kernels drained
2 Small Cans tomato sauce
1 Can Diced tomatoes (optional)
1/2 Poblano pepper
1/2 Jalapeno pepper (optional)

Directions:

Brown meat, drain excess liquids. Add bell pepper, onion, 1/3 of the diced tomatoes, garlic, continue to cook until veggies are tender. Transfer meat to a big pot, add chili packet and any additional ingredients the packet asks for. Add remaining ingredients and let simmer for at least 45 minutes. The longer you let the chili simmer the thicker and spicier it will become.
Serve over Fritos Scoops, top with more diced tomatoes, onions, cheese, and sour cream. Or skip the fritos and make the cornbread either way its delicious! :)

Everyone loves cheesecake... Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

 

 

Everyone loves cheesecake especially strawberry cheesecake. These Strawberry  Cheesecake bites are the perfect, fast, and easy snack. A lot easier than making an actual cheesecake, and pretty enough to take to a party. Just beware you might want to eat all of them by yourself ;)

 

 

 

Strawberry Cheesecake Bites

 

Ingredients:

1 Pound Large Strawberries hulled

 

8 oz. (one package) Cream cheese (you can use 1/3 less fat)

 

3-4 Tablespoons Powdered sugar (4 Tablespoons for a sweeter filling)

 

1 Teaspoonful Vanilla extract (not imitation vanilla)

 

1/4 Cup Graham cracker crumbs

 

In a mixing bowl fitted with whisk or paddle attachment, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and 2 Tablespoonfuls of graham crackers, until creamy. Add the sugar one tablespoon at a time until you reach desired sweetness. Put cream cheese in a piping bag or Ziploc back with the corner cut off. Cut a cross on the tip of the strawberries,but don't cut all the way through, its easier if you stand them up hulled side down so they stand up on their own then cut. Fill the strawberries with the cream cheese mixture using the piping bag. Sprinkle with more graham cracker crumbs. You can also add colored sugar, sprinkles, or drizzled chocolate on top. Refrigerate until serving and enjoy!! :)

 

Got Milk?... Triple Peanut Butter Cookies

Triple Peanut Butter Cookies

 

 

 

Everyone that knows me knows how much I love peanut butter, so of course I had to add more peanut butter to these already peanut buttery cookies. They are so delicious you have to try them with a big glass of milk . :)

 

 

 

  I know I always talk about saving money and using off brands but when it comes to my coconut and peanut butter chips it makes a big difference to pay a little bit extra and get the name brand. For these cookies Reeses Peanut Butter Chips are best, they literally taste like the inside of a Reeses Pieces. They add a lot of flavor to the cookies.

Don't forget to mark your cookies with a fork so they look like traditional peanut butter cookies. The trick is to roll the cookie dough ball into granulated sugar then press down with the fork. That way the dough doesn't get stuck to the fork prongs so its easier to make an imprint.

 

 

As I always say with when baking cookies only leave them on the cookie sheet for a minute or two then transfer to a cooling rack. Also if you are using the same cookie sheet for more than one batch let it cool before reusing or your cookies will spread too much. If you want softer cookies take them out when they are golden brown on the edges but still look a little bit underdone in the center. The cookies will continue to cook on the cookie sheet. If you like harder cookies leave them in the oven a little longer either way they're delicious :)

 

 

 

Triple Peanut Butter Cookies

Ingredients:

 

1 1/4 Cup AP Flour

3/.4 Teaspoonful Baking Soda

1/4 Teaspoonful Salt

1/2 Cup Butter or Margarine

1/2 Cup Chunky or smooth peanut butter

1/2 Cup Granulated sugar plus more to roll dough in

1/2 Cup Packed brown sugar

1 Egg

1/2 teaspoonful Vanilla

1/2 Cup Reeses Peanut Butter Chips

1/4 Cup Chopped Peanuts

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl mix together flour, baking soda, and salt, set aside. In a mixer with paddle attachment cream together sugars, butter, and peanut butter until smooth and fluffy. Add egg make sure it's mixed in well then add vanilla. Add flour mixture slowly in 3 parts. Mix in Reeses Peanut Butter Chips and chopped peanuts. Use a spoon to get dough out of the bowl and roll it into a ball. Roll cookie dough balls into sugar then press down onto cookie sheet using a fork making a cross hatch pattern. Bake for 8-10 or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet and let cool on a cookie rack. Pour yourself a glass of milk and enjoy!! :)



Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger... it'll change the way you make your burgers :)

 

Ultimate Bacon Cheeseburger

 

 

 

 

 

This is the most delicious way to make bacon cheeseburgers, eating at a fast food place wont be the same after you have these. Adding the cheese and the bacon to the meat make the hamburger so moist and juicy. You can top it with grilled onions, veggies, BBQ sauce, or any other sauce you like on your cheeseburgers. I chose to use cheddar cheese for the top and pepper jack for the inside of the patty but again you can use any kind of cheese you prefer. Either way you're going to love them! :)

 

 

 

First step is to pulse the bacon in the handy dandy food processor until it resembles ground beef. You can use as much or as little bacon as you like depending on how many hamburgers you are making. I used 4 strips for 1 pound of ground beef which made 4 hamburgers.

 

 

 

Mix the bacon with ground beef using your hands. Then add chopped green peppers, onion, pepper jack cheese, salt, pepper, seasoning salt and/or any other seasonings you like.

 

 

Mix all the ingredients well using the best tools in the kitchen; your hands.

 

 

 

Once everything is all mixed in make the meat mixture into desired sized patties. For me its easiest to roll them up into balls then squish them down. If you're using 1 lb. of beef like I did you can make four pretty good sized patties, which would be the same thing as a quarter pounder at a fast food joint.

 

 

 

You can grill them, bake them, or pan fry them just remember they contain cheese so it will melt. Daniel and I both like our hamburgers well done so I let them cook for a long time. The thicker your patty the longer it will take to cook. 

 

 

Cheryl bought this cool contraption at the Home Improvement Expo in Delmar. The lady doing the demo had us try some chicken she had grilled/steamed on it using orange juice as the steaming liquid. It was so moist and delicious we were sold. I think it was about $30 but it's totally worth it for indoor grilling. The cool thing about this is that it has a reservoir under the grill plate for liquid so it steams the food while it grills it giving it the flavor of whatever liquid you use. Since I was making cheeseburgers I decided to use beer for the liquid and the hamburgers came out amazing. So if you are making these on the grill you pour some beer on top of the patties before you flip. If you don't have a grill or one of these cool contraptions, you don't have to use the beer.

 

 

Cook the patties to desired temperature. Add a slice of cheese to top while it still hot. Assemble your favorite way and enjoy!!

No need to tip the waitress... Homemade Chips and Salsa Fresca

 

Homemade Chips and Salsa Fresca

 

 

 

I love making homemade chips and salsa, its such a quick, and delicious snack that everybody loves. I make them when I cook Mexican dishes like carne asada or tacos. I make different variations of this same salsa which are also equally as good. If I'm having people over to carne asada and chicken tacos I make this salsa and a fresh cucumber variation, which is has chopped cucumber instead of of the tomatoes. Chopped mangoes, and avocado are also really delicious variations to try. You can make it as hot or mild as you like. And you don't have to feel guilty because its all fresh ingredients, so you can put it on anything. :)

 

The basic ingredients for every salsa fresca are chopped tomatoes, cilantro, serrano peppers and/or jalapeño peppers (I didn't use the full amount in the picture, but you can if you want it really hot), and onion I use red or white depending on what I'm serving it with, red onion is a lot sweeter. Its mixed with lime or lemon juice, pepper, garlic salt, or garlic powder and regular salt.

 

Mix up and enjoy!! :)

For the chips, I like to use yellow corn tortillas because they fry up nicer and taste better than white corn. I stack them on top of each other and cut them into slices like a pie. I cut all the way through and across making a cross then diagonally in between the slices. The picture above is a stack of four tortillas cut into 8 slices, making 32 chips. Cutting them like this makes them look like you brought them home from your favorite Mexican food restaurant and its easier to scoop up salsa.

Fry then in vegetable or grape oil flipping only once. They cook up pretty fast and it is really easy to burn them so keep on eye on them. Oil should be hot but not too hot, so lower the heat if it gets too hot or starts to pop too much. As with any frying or cooking make sure oil is hot enough before you add the tortilla chips. You don't need very much oil just enough to cover them like in the picture above.  Use tongs to flip them, and when they are slightly golden brown on the edges take them out of the oil and let them drain on paper towels. Salt right away or it wont stick. You can serve them hot but they get crunchier as they sit. You can also bake them if you don't want to fry them. Just brush with olive oil and place in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until crunchy. Salt immediately after taking them out of the oven.

So the next time you're in the mood for chips and salsa don't waste your money on a tip, make your own homemade chips and salsa :) Make sure you try the cucumber, avocado, and mango variations as well. Enjoy!!

 

Prepare to be addicted... Ultimate White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Coconut, and Walnut Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

Ultimate Walnut Chocolate Chip Coconut

and

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Coconut Cookies  

 

Ultimate White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Coconut Cookies

 

 

 

Ultimate Walnut Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

 

 

 These cookies are absolutely delicious! Literally be prepared to be addicted. I make these all of the time, and Daniel always ask for them if we don't have them. Everyone loves them!

 

 

 

 

 

 I use whole macadamia nuts and chop them up into smaller pieces. I also do this to the walnuts or pecans, and the chocolate chips if they're too big. You can use the nuts whole but I think it adds a lot of flavor when every bite has a small piece of nut and chocolate, instead of big chunks every couple bites. Either way its delicious.

 

 

 

 

 

Another one of my tricks is to separate the dough into two bowls before I add the nuts and chocolate. That way you have two different cookie doughs out of one basic dough. The cookie itself is delicious so you can pretty much use this recipe and add any mix ins you want. The possibilities are endless.

 

 

 

 

 

 I made them pretty big as you can see not very many fit and these cookie sheets are huge. You can make them any size you want, the smaller they are the more cookies you can make. Just be sure to keep on eye on them while baking and adjust the baking time depending on size. The smaller the cookie the less time it takes to bake.

 

 

 

 

Also remember that the cookies will continue to bake on the cookie sheet even after you take them out of the oven . Leave them on the sheet for just a minute then let them cool on a cookie rack. It makes a world of difference.

I made these with sticks of vegetable spread instead of butter to cut out the calories and the price. You can use butter if you prefer, either way they're amazing! :)

 White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Coconut Cookies

and

 Walnut Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

 

Ultimate Coconut Cookie Dough:

 

Ingredients:

 

3/4 Cups Granulated sugar

3/4 Cups Packed brown sugar

1 Cup (2 Sticks) Butter or margarine softened

1 1/2 Teaspoonful Vanilla

1 Egg

2 1/4 Cups All purpose flour

1 Teaspoon Baking soda

1/2 Teaspoon Salt

3/4 Cups Shredded coconut

Mix ins:

1/2 Cup Chopped macadamia nuts
1 Cup White chocolate chips
1/2 Cup Chopped walnuts or pecans
1 Cup Milk Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl mix together flour, coconut, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In a mixer with paddle attachment mix together butter or margarine, sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture a little a time until combined. Separate dough into two bowls. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts or pecans to one bowl, and the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts into the other. Drop rounded spoonfuls or make round balls with your hands in desired sizes on a cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for just a minute on cookie sheets then remove and cool on wire cookie racks. If you are reusing your cookies sheets make sure to let them cool completely between batches.



Got left over candy canes?... Peppermint and Marshmallow Hot Chocolate, perfect for cold weather.

 

Peppermint and Marshmallow Hot Chocolate

 You have to try this easy and delicious hot chocolate. Its a perfect way to use any left over candy canes from Christmas, or after Christmas blow out sales. If you don't have access to candy canes you can use peppermint extract, or crushed up peppermint candies. It such a delicious and warm treat, perfect for a relaxing night by the fire.

 

 

 I like easy and inexpensive so I use hot chocolate mixes. I use one and a half pouches for each person. So if I'm only making some for myself and one other person I use 3 pouches to make it more chocolaty. You can make your own hot chocolate as well. Please feel free to email me or comment if you would like the recipe for homemade hot cocoa.

 

I like to use milk for my hot chocolate so its creamier. But in case you didn't know milk causes phlegm (mucus) so if you or someone you're making this is congested or sick you can use water, or a mix of milk and water. Since this is made on a stove and not in the microwave its really important to stir frequently so the milk doesn't boil. It should be hot but not boiling, otherwise it'll taste burnt. So cook it on medium high heat and keep your eye on it. Also very important this is a lot hotter than traditional hot chocolate you get at the baseball game, or the stuff you make in the microwave. So make sure to warn people to wait until it cools a bit so they don't burn off their taste buds. Add the hot chocolate mix and stir right away that way the flavors heat up with the milk and develop more. Its also easier for the powder to dissolve this way. Be sure to mix constantly so it doesn't burn and get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

Once the milk mixture has begun to warm up, and you can see small bubbles forming add the candy cane pieces or crushed peppermint candies. Make sure to crush up your candy canes, or peppermint candies into small pieces so they dissolve in the milk easier. Mix until they dissolve. Make sure milk mixture is not too hot. It should have small bubbles, and it's ok if it simmers a bit, but not big boiling bubbles or it will quickly boil over and burn.

 

 

 

 Adding marshmallows into the pot while its heating up makes the hot chocolate a lot creamier. Add marshmallows after you have the desired peppermint flavor, you can add as much or as little as you want. Stir constantly until marshmallows melt into the liquid.

 

 

Serve into cups, top with more marshmallows and a candy cane and enjoy!! Remember to let cool slightly and sip slowly so you don't burn your tongue. :)