Ginger Spiced Cranberry and Pear Pies...in JARS!

Say hello to your new favorite Fall recipe!

Chocolate Chip Studded Pumpkin Roll Bars

Do you have school age kids?  If so, I am sure you can appreciate what I have to say.

Feeling a little bit corn-y today?

I pulled out some chicken to make kebabs for dinner.

My kids complained.

They haaaatttte chicken apparently.

A little fact that I did not find out until after the chicken had thawed out.

Thanks for the update boys!

They wanted hot dogs...

And I had the dogs but not the buns.

So I decided to do something a little off the wall last night...

And I made corn dogs!

That's right I made them. 

Like ALL by MYSELF!

Go ahead, be amazed.

Who's your daddy now Mr. Coney Island Corn Dog Vendor man?

These little gems were a cinch to make....a bit grease-y, splatter-y kinda messy...

But SUPER simple!

And the best part...

My kids LOVED them!  

So be a little "corn-y" and try something different for dinner.

You'll be glad you did!

Mini Corn Dog Bites

by Angi McCarthy

Keywords: appetizer Dinner Lunch American

6027564

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour, divided
• 1/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon season salt
• 1 cup milk
• 8 hot dogs, cut into thirds
• Vegetable or canola oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Preheat about 3 inches of oil to 350 degrees over medium heat.

2. Combine 2/3 cup of flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, garlic powder and season salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the milk.

3. In a pie plate or other shallow dish, add the remaining flour.

4. Dredge each hot dog piece in the flour and then dip it into the cornmeal batter. Shake off any excess batter, but be sure that the hot dog is fully covered in batter.

5. Drop into the hot oil and fry for 3-4 minutes, turning halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.

6. Fry in batches, being careful not to over crowd the pan.

7. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and keep warm in a 200 degree oven until all of the hot dogs are fried.

8. Serve immediately with ketchup and mustard, if desired.

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Have you ever tried making homemade corn dogs?  

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

Do you ever find that one special recipe that is just so darn good you wanna call your mom up and thank her for teaching you how to use an oven?  And in the same breath reach through the phone and smack her all at the same time because now that you KNOW how to bake the best cake like EVER, your butt continues to grow because you can not work-out hard enough to stop the effects of a slowing metabolism (due to age...not that I'm old) and your lack of self-control to NOT eat half of the cake with a fork straight out of the skillet you cooked it in?

No? 

Well then, you haven't made this cake yet.

This cake is the perfect blend of spicy and sweet...and its totally healthy too. 

It has pineapples in it!  How can that not be healthy? 

Don't ruin it for me...were gonna call it healthy and leave it at that, Em' Kay Pumpkin?

Em' Kay!

This is by far the BEST pineapple upside down cake recipe that I have ever come across. 

My husband asks for it every year for his birthday...and then at least once a month for the next 6 months after his birthday because the half eaten one cake isn't enough for him.

Yup, its just THAT good!

So forget that bikini season is just around the corner, go work-out super hard this week and then bake yourself this cake.

I promise that you won't be dissappointed.

Oh, and mom, don't answer the phone when I call you.  I'm just sayin :)

Skillet Pineapple Upside Down Cake

by Angi McCarthy (adapted from Taste of Home)

Keywords: pineapple cake

6025627

Ingredients

• 1-1/3 cups butter, softened, divided
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 can (20 ounces) pineapple slices, drained
• 10 to 12 maraschino cherries
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup buttermilk

Instructions

In a saucepan, melt 2/3 cup of butter; stir in brown sugar. Spread in the bottom of an ungreased heavy 12-in skillet or a 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. Arrange pineapple in a single layer over sugar mixture; place a cherry in the center of each slice.

Sprinkle with pecans and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream sugar and remaining butter until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg; add alternately to batter with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Carefully pour over the pineapple. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes in an iron skillet skillet (50-60 minutes for baking pan) or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Immediately invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream!

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So what is the ONE recipe that you can not seem to make enough of?  I'd love to try it out!

Good Morning Sunshine!

Morning Glory Muffins

How to have your cake and eat it too!

As a mom, I am always trying to figure out new and creative ways to “sneak” healthy foods into my kid’s treats. 

As a wife, I am always trying to figure out how to get my husbands daily intake of the healthy stuff into him any way I can.

As a woman…I’m always trying to figure out how I can have my cake and eat it too! 

Are you feeling me here?

Seriously, if it were up to me to write the Food Pyramid (and I really think it should be), the largest block would be chocolate...all else would follow!

Whose with me?

One of my favorite treats to make for my family are these Morning Glory Muffins. 

They are the perfect blend of sweet AND healthy!

These little beauties are cram packed with all things healthy...and just enough of the unhealthy stuff to make them DELISH!

If your feeling really adventurous, you can top them with a little cream cheese frosting and have them for dessert!

YUMMERS!



Morning Glory Muffins

by Angi McCarthy

Keywords: breakfast muffin

Ingredients (1 dozen large muffins)

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream (I used light sour cream)
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1 cup flaked coconut
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1 cup crushed pineapples, drained
• 1 -1/2 cup King Arthur White Wheat Flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp fresh grated nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until smooth.

Add eggs and sour cream; beat well.

Stir in carrots, coconut crushed pineapple and raisins.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg.

Stir dry ingredients into creamed mixture just until moistened.

Fold in nuts.

Fill greased or paper-lined muffins cups 3/4 full.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack.

Serve warm and enjoy!

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You may find this post partying in the following places:

Monday:  Debbie Doos - The Girl Creative - Skip to My Lou - Craft O Maniac - Lisa's Craft Blog - The DIY Show Off -Everything Under the Moon

Tuesday:  Not Just A Housewife - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Clean and Scentsible - Crazy For Crust - recipes - Uncommon Designs

Wednesday:  Savvy Southern Style - Blue Cricket Design - Seven Thirty-Three - Someday Crafts - Michele Raven Designs/

Thursday:  Delightful Order - Something Swanky - Recipes - The How To Mommy - A Little Nosh          

Friday:  Dwell on Joy- Finding Fabulous - Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Fingerprints on the Fridge - Shabby Nest - Whipperberry – Miss Mustard Seed - French Country Cottage - Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog).

Recipe Exchange...Strawberry "Crumb Top" Pound Cake

Hey yawl!  I am SUPER excited to be sharing this recipe with you today!  Savannah with Hammock Tracks asked me to join in on a recipe exchange with her.  I was a little nervous at first as I have never been apart of one before...buuuuttttt....I decided that this was a great opportunity to try something new AND connect with a fellow blogger.  Total win - win situation in my opinion! 

The way this works if you (like me) have never been apart of a recipe exchange before is this...we both peruse each others recipe files until we find a dozen things something that we'd like to try making for ourselves.  After slobbering all over my keyboard drooling over several options that Savannah had to choose from, I settled on her Strawberry Pound Cake. 

I will not lie, the major driving force behind this is my oldest son's insatiable craving for strawberries.  This kid can put away a pound of strawberries for breakfast alone...then polish off another pound after soccer practice and STILL want more.  To say he loves strawberries is a bit of an understatement.

And while the rest of us like them...we prefer them in our oatmeal or drowned in powdered sugar and scattered on top of pound cake.  So when I saw Savannah's recipe to put them IN our pound cake...I was SOLD!

I have to admit, I tweaked her recipe just a wee bit but I truly believe it would have been just as delicious had I left it alone. 

The main change that I made was adding a cinnamon crumb topping...just look at all that crumbly goodness on there!

OH my word...This cake was TO. DIE. FOR!

I can not thank Savannah enough for introducing me to this AMAZING recipe! 

Do yourself a favor and go make a loaf of this cake...brew a cup of tea...and sit down in front of your computer and enjoy all that Savannah with Hammock Tracks has to offer!

You'll be glad you did!

Strawberry Pound Cake with Crumb Topping

by Savannah with Hammock Tracks

6022746

Ingredients (1 loaf)

Strawberry Pound Cake

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1 -1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 -1/2 cups strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

• 1/4 cup COLD butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup flour

Instructions

Strawberry Pound Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray (1) loaf pan generously with baking spray.

In mixing bowl, beat the eggs until light and fluffy, then beat in the oil until blended.

Beat in the sugars until well blended.

Add almond extract and mix until incorporated.

In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda and salt.

Beat all but 2 tablespoons of the dry mixture into the egg/oil mixture.

Add the strawberries to the remaining dry mixture and toss to coat the berries well.

Fold this mixture into the batter and pour into prepared pan.

Sprinkle Crumb Topping on top and press into with palm of hand.

Bake in oven for 60 min. or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Cut in butter to sugars, cinnamon and flour to form crumbs.

Sprinkle crumbs on loaf.

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Bake Me Happy...Cinnamon Crumb Sticks

We have this local pizza place here named Double Daves.  Let me just start by saying, their pizzas are delish, but their Pepperoni Rolls ROCK!  Totally. Love. Them!  But I have to be honest and tell you that what calls us back there time and again is not the pizza nor the rolls.  It is their cinnamon sticks.  

There truly are no words to describe them. 

They are out of this world.  AH-Mazing!

We can eat a whole tray of these things before we even eat our dinner...then we want to take another tray home to snack on later.  We don't, of course, but we WANT to.  Ok, sometimes we do. 

Jeesh...don't be so judgy! 

Well, one day I was purusing the Internet and I found these totally awesome looking Cinnamon Crumby thingys that looked just like them!  So I had to make them and find out for myself.  (Forgive me for not linking back to the site I found them at as I have no idea where it was...I printed the recipe and stuck it in a folder and it doesn't say anywhere on it where it came from....grrrrrr). 

This recipe sat on my counter for a week as I tried to find sometime to make them. 

Then on Thursday, after my sons baseball practice, I came home to find these sitting on the counter.

Mr. AKM had come home from school early and decided to surprise us all with a little treat!

And not only did he make these awesome little snacks...which taste WAY better then Double Daves, he took pictures of the whole process. 

Isn't he the awesome-st EVER?  I think so! 

Just get a look at all that cinnamon and sugary goodness! 

YUM-O!

So if your looking for an easy, cinnamon-y, totally DELISH treat, you simply MUST make these!

Heck, if Mr. AKM can pull these off, anyone can!

Cinnamon Crumb Sticks

by Angi McCarthy

Keywords: dessert cinnamon

Ingredients

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

• 1/4 cup COLD butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 can Pillsbury Cresent Rolls

Glaze

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 Tbsp. softened butter
• 1 1/4 tsp. vanilla
• 1 to 1 1/2 Tbsp. milk

Instructions

Cinnamon Crumb Topping

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Cut in butter to sugars, cinnamon and flour to form crumbs.

On an ungreased cookie sheet, separate crescent roll dough into (8) triangles.

Sprinkle crumbs on top of each triangle.

Bake at 400 deg. for 8 - 12 minutes.

Glaze

Blend all ingredients together, drizzle over Cinnamon Crumb Sticks after they are removed from oven.

Eat and enjoy!

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You may find this post partying in the following places:

Monday:  Debbie Doos - The Girl Creative - Skip to My Lou - Craft O Maniac - Lisa's Craft Blog - The DIY Show Off -Everything Under the Moon

Tuesday:  Not Just A Housewife - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Clean and Scentsible - Crazy For Crust - recipes - Uncommon Designs

Wednesday:  Savvy Southern Style - Blue Cricket Design - Seven Thirty-Three - Someday Crafts - Michele Raven Designs/

Thursday:  Delightful Order - Something Swanky - Recipes - The How To Mommy - A Little Nosh          

Friday:  Dwell on Joy- Finding Fabulous - Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Fingerprints on the Fridge - Shabby Nest - Whipperberry – Miss Mustard Seed - French Country Cottage - Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog). 

Bake Me Happy...Chocolate Cupcakes withToasted Marshmellow Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

Lately all that I have been wanting in life is chocolate and peanut butter.

And I’m not just talking Reeses peanut butter cups.

That would be too easy.

I’m talking sandwiches…big, thick slathers of peanut butter and Nutella.  The kind that leaves the leftovers behind in the corners of your mouth for you to snack on later.

I’m talking about my ice cream…taking vanilla ice cream and mixing in swirls of Peter Pan Honey Roasted  peanut butter and chunks of chocolate pieces….sometimes I even throw some pretzels into the mix for a little salty goodness.

The other day I ate half a bag of pretzels dipping them into some peanut butter and then Nutella.

It’s a strange addiction I have lately.  I’m not sure how it all started.  I just know that one day I was eating a Reeses and the next thing I know I’m trying to conjure up different ways to get my peanut butter and chocolate fix WITHOUT having to go to the store to buy another bag of Reeses.

It’s not helping my waistline nor the size of my butt…I CAN say that for sure!

Today while I was working on finishing up my moms cabinet (you can read about that here) the craving struck again!

Actually, I’m starting to think this new craving has something to do with stress.  It seems that every time I crave it…something is not going right in my world.

Hmmm….

Any who, I remembered that I had frozen some of the cupcakes from when I made these.

And they were not frosted!

Oh the possibilities!

While I am not the first person to come up with this idea, it is the first time that I tried them for myself.

And I must say…OH. FREAKING. YUM!

So I give to you, my version of the Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcake WITH Toasted Marshmellows.

Drum roll please...

And yes, it is okay to lick the screen ;)  I'll pretend I didn't see it!

Chocolate Cupcakes with Toasted Marshmellow Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

by Angi McCarthy

Ingredients (24 cupcakes)

Chocolate Cake

• 2 cups sugar
• 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened Hershey's Special Dark cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup strong black coffee (I used Starbucks Cafe Verona Roast)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup EV Olive oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Toasted Marshmellow Peanut Butter Buttercream Frosting

• 3 sticks salted butter softened (but not melted!)
• 2 lbs confectioners (powdered) sugar
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 4 jumbo marshmellows toasted and pureed in food processor
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream

Instructions

Chocolate Cupcakes

Heat oven to 350°F.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, combine the sugar, flour, cocoa(s), baking soda, baking powder.

Mix on low until dry ingredients are thoroughly combined.

Add eggs, buttermilk, coffee, oils and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for about two minutes; the batter will be thin.

Pour batter evenly into prepared pans.

Bake cupcakes in preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely before frosting.

Toasted Marshmellow Buttercream Frosting

Cream butter, peanut butter and toasted marshmellow puree for a few minutes in a mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed. Turn off the mixer.

Sift 2 lbs powdered sugar into the mixing bowl.

Turn your mixer on the lowest speed (so the dry ingredients do not blow everywhere) until the sugar is absorbed by the butter.

Increase mixer speed to medium and add vanilla extract cream and beat for about 3 minutes.

If your frosting needs a more stiff consistency, add a little more powdered sugar. If your frosting needs to be thinned out, add additional cream 1 tablespoon at a time.

Pipe on your cupcakes and enjoy!

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You may find this post partying in the following places:

Monday:  Debbie Doos - The Girl Creative - Skip to My Lou - Craft O Maniac - Lisa's Craft Blog - The DIY Show Off -Everything Under the Moon

Tuesday:  Not Just A Housewife - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Clean and Scentsible - Crazy For Crust - recipes - Uncommon Designs

Wednesday:  Savvy Southern Style - Blue Cricket Design - Seven Thirty-Three - Someday Crafts - Michele Raven Designs/

Thursday:  Delightful Order - Something Swanky - Recipes - The How To Mommy - A Little Nosh          

Friday:  Dwell on Joy- Finding Fabulous - Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Fingerprints on the Fridge - Shabby Nest - Whipperberry – Miss Mustard Seed - French Country Cottage - Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog). 

Bake Me Happy - Pretzel Bottomed Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie

I tend to be a fairly conventional person.

I’m not a “fly by the seat of my pants” kinda gal.

I like the norm.  The status quo.  A schedule even.

I work well with structure and repetition.

That doesn’t translate into boring…I am just prepared.  Isn’t that what we try and teach our children?  To be prepared for life.  Have a plan and stick to it…that kind of thing.

When people say they are looking for “spontaneity” and “excitement” I just don’t get it.

I tried to be that person when I was young, but the truth is…it was never “me”.

I like what I like, I do what I do, and I don’t need anyone coming in all willy-nilly and messing up my order.

Don’t pop over to my place unannounced.  I don’t have a “pop over-able personality”.  I need time to “wrap my mind” around the fact that you are coming over.  Mr. AKM would say I’m anti-social.  I’m not really.  I love to socialize…I just wanna KNOW when I’m expected to do it.  I have conversations to prepare for…and I usually need to wash my hair before I face people…or at least throw on my favorite baseball cap.  Is that too much to ask?

I don’t do spontaneous vacations.  The thought of a get up and go trip gives me anxiety.  Like the fact that I need to go to the doctor to get anxiety meds kind-of anxiety. 

I hate to fly…not because of my fear of heights or fear of crashing but because I can’t just pull the plane over and get out anytime I want.  It’s a “control” thing for me.

I am still a fun person.  At least that’s what I tell myself.  I just like to plan my fun.

So back to predictability…

When it comes to making desserts I make what I like…brownies and chocolate cake.  Nothing wrong with that.  Again, I like what I like.  And if I’m baking it, why shouldn’t it be all about me and my likes? 

My kids tell me its “boring”…predictable even.  GAH!  Can’t they just be grateful that I like to bake at all?  Geesh!

Soooo…I decided that maybe it might be time to step outside of my comfort zone and try something a little less “predictable”.

And then I found these.

And then I made them.

And we all ate them.

And they are not at all boring or predictable!

Go make them and see for yourself!

Pretzel Bottomed Reeses Peanut Butter Cup Cookie Pie

by Angi McCarthy of AKM designs & delights

Keywords: peanut butter pretzel pie cookie

Ingredients (1 cookie pie)

Pretzel Bottom

• 2 cups crushed pretzels
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Cookie Pie

• 1 cup butter, room temp
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 1/4 cups white wheat flour (or you can use white)
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli cuz its the best EVER)
• 1 (8 oz) bag Reese's minis

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°

Combine crushed pretzels, 1/2 cup melted butter and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl. Press mixture firmly into the bottom and up sides of a 10" pie or tart pan.

Bake for 8 minutes. Remove from oven.

While crust is baking make the blondie filling.

Cream butter, 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/2 cup granulated sugar with your mixer.

Add eggs and vanilla and beat until combined and smooth.

On low speed add in your baking soda, salt and flour until incorporated evenly.

Stir in your chocolate chips and Reese's Minis until evenly distributed.

Press mixture on top of baked crust.

Place pie back in oven for 30-35 minutes.  Remove and cover top with aluminum foil to prevent burning the top and put back into oven for 15 - 20 minutes.

Let cool COMPLETELY on wire rack before serving.  If you do not let it cool completely, the inside will be mushy.

Enjoy with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and come back and tell me how much you LOVED it!

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**Post inspired by Cookies & Cups.

You may find this post partying in the following places:

Monday:  Debbie Doos - The Girl Creative - Skip to My Lou - Craft O Maniac - Lisa's Craft Blog - The DIY Show Off -Everything Under the Moon

Tuesday:  Not Just A Housewife - My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia - Clean and Scentsible - Crazy For Crust - recipes - Uncommon Designs

Wednesday:  Savvy Southern Style - Blue Cricket Design - Seven Thirty-Three - Someday Crafts - Michele Raven Designs/

Thursday:  Delightful Order - Something Swanky - Recipes - The How To Mommy - A Little Nosh          

Friday:  Dwell on Joy- Finding Fabulous - Chic on a Shoestring Decorating - Fingerprints on the Fridge - Shabby Nest - Whipperberry – Miss Mustard Seed - French Country Cottage - Sweet Tooth Friday (Alli-n-son), I'm Lovin' it Fridays (TidyMom), Friday Favorites (Simply Sweet Home), Latest & Greatest Friday (Days of Chalk and Chocolate), Bacon Time, Fusion Friday (Jane Deere Blog).