Lassie Girl

Monkey Muffins

Have I ever mentioned that I really, really, really like The Pioneer Woman blog?

And even more so, her recipes? 

If you need a quick ( prep time is 10 mins and baking time is 15! ), easy, ultra-delicious, comfort food breakfast, and if you like monkey bread, then you MUST try these Monkey Muffins. I'll include the recipe below as well as a few photos from my baking session this morning, but you'll definitely be more entertained by reading about them

here.

I try not to make these too often, but sometimes you just need to indulge a little, right? ;)

You'll probably have everything you need on hand, so give 'em a try and enjoy!

Ingredients

• Leftover Bread Dough (or Refrigerated Biscuit Dough, Cut Into Thirds)
• Butter
• Sugar
• Ground Cinnamon
• Sweetened, Condensed Milk

Preparation Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

( my note: she does not suggest spraying your pan with cooking spray, but I would - lightly. )

Add 1/2 teaspoon butter to muffin tins. Sprinkle in sugar and cinnamon.

Roll dough into walnut sized balls (or cut refrigerated biscuit dough into thirds). Place three into each muffin tin.

Top with 1/2 teaspoon butter. Sprinkle on more sugar and cinnamon.

Allow dough to rise, if applicable, or just go ahead and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden and bubbly.

Remove from oven and immediately drizzle plenty of sweetened condensed milk over the top of each one. Be generous! Allow rolls to sit for a little while to absorb sweet, sticky milk.

Scoop out of pan with a spoon and serve..

Cake Balls

As promised,  the cake ball recipe & tutorial...

If you have never had one of these little balls of goodness, you are totally missing out!!!  They are addictive, but you can try to make yourself feel better by remembering that it's just like having only a bite or two of a piece of cake...

That is only if you stop at one!  ;)

These are SUPER easy to make ( yes, it looks like a lot of steps below, but once you've done it you'll see what I mean! ) and a great project to do with the kids. To start with, you use a cake mix and canned frosting. Anything that uses a cake mix has got to be easy, right?

Now, before you get turned off by the thought of a cake mix and prepared frosting, it really, really, really is the only way to go and it tastes fabulous!  I am not generally a cake mix person but it honestly is the best thing to use for these.  You could make your own cake from scratch and it would probably taste fantastic,  but I truly don't think it would be worth it.

One more note before we begin - In addition to being highly addictive,  cake balls are an awesome crowd pleaser.  Take these to any party, potluck, family get-together, your kids class parties, showers, etc... and you will be bombarded with requests for the recipe. They will earn you "most popular person at the party" status. People will beg you to bring them again.

I'm not kidding. You're almost embarrassed to admit how easy they are because they look so impressive...

So, without further ado, here we go!

You will need:

• 1 cake mix*
• 1 can prepared frosting
• package of confectioners coating**
• wax or parchment paper

1)  Bake cake as directed, either for 9x13 pan, or two round pans

2)  After cake has cooled, crumble into a large bowl. If your cake has crisp, hard edges (and chocolate tends to), be sure to trim them off first! I like to use a pastry cutter to break up all the clumps.

3)  Mix thoroughly with 1 can of frosting ( I actually use a little less, about 3/4 can )

You should have a nice gooey mess now! :)

4)  Scoop quarter sized balls ( I use a cookie dough scoop ), roll them between your hands to get a good, smooth ball and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax or parchment paper. 

5)  Freeze several hours, or overnight if you want to do this in stages over the course of two days.  Let thaw ( just until they are not hard anymore, do NOT let them come to room temperature or get warm!! ) before beginning the dipping process.

6)  Melt chocolate in microwave or double-boiler until smooth. I place mine in a heat-proof bowl and melt over a pot of boiling water just because it's easier to me. Also, I only melt a little bit at a time - enough to be able to roll the ball easily, but usually it does not take a whole package and you end up with a lot of waste. It is easier to work with while hot, so stop and reheat if necessary.

7)  Roll the balls in the chocolate and place back on the cookie sheet. This to me is the trickiest part.  I use a candy dipping fork, but you may have to play around and see what works best for you. I also tried an egg separator and that worked pretty well, too. You want to use something that will allow you to shake off the excess chocolate and yet be able to drop the ball onto the cookie sheet without touching it as this will mess up the coating. 

If you are going to add sprinkles or colored sugar to the tops of yours, NOW is the time to do it before the coating completely dries - which is FAST!

All finished!

Unless you want to get more elaborate with your decorating. The possibilities are endless for creativity with these and TONS of fun,  but I will save that for another post!

These store easily in an air-proof container at room temperature and will last for several days. 

Questions? Feel free to ask - I've made hundreds of 'em! 

Ideas or tips? PLEASE share because I'd love to hear them!! :)

ENJOY!!

* you can have a LOT of fun mixing flavors. Here are a few examples:

chocolate cake mix with either choc. or cream cheese frosting

white cake ( fun to tint with color ) with white or cream cheese frosting

red velvet with cream cheese

devils food with chocolate frosting

strawberry with white, strawberry or cream cheese frosting

lemon with white or cream cheese frosting

german chocolate with milk chocolate frosting

dark chocolate with dark chocolate frosting

** With regard to the confectioners coating, you can use the regular chocolate or white chocolate bark found at the grocery store. I tried it once and wasn't too impressed, but it works in a pinch and is cheaper to play around with. I prefer the Guittard confectionary coated wafers ( comes in milk, dark and white chocolate ), but the Wilton brand ( at most craft stores on the candy making aisle ) works, too.  Also, when you use white chocolate, you can tint it with food coloring ( use oil based colors ).

Whoopie Pies Revisited

Okay, so you know that I have recently developed an addiction to whoopie pies thanks to a local Dallas bakery who makes a mean one.  In addition to stopping in to see if they have any available whenever I am in the area, I have taken to trying to perfect making them myself. I really like this recipe, but just could not quite get the filling right. That is until this week.
 You see, the recipe calls for this:

 

which we can not get here in Texas short of ordering online because it's an east coast thing. Boston specifically I think ( please correct me if I'm wrong though! ). So, in the past I just used regular marshmallow cream. BUT, while grocery shopping in Maine last month,  I happened to see the Fluff on a shelf and grabbed a jar to bring home. I should have got more. I made the whoopies again this week using it and BIG difference!!!  Definitely the key to the filling. Guess I better find a good online source or beg someone who has easy access to it to send me some ( Kristen? *wink* ). So, if you make whoopie pies and the filling calls for marshmallow FLUFF, be sure to use it and not the cream.  Otherwise, I would recommend just making a buttercream or cream cheese filling instead.

And speaking of cream cheese, look what else I discovered this week:

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies.

At Williams-Sonoma.

Yes, they are $50 ( for 12 ), but I'll let you know if it's worth it (the reviews on their website say they are) cause guess who's about to make a trip into the store to grab a box? :)

What can I say? I told you I was addicted.

Now, I do have to admit that the price tag on those would prevent me from buying them too often, so I am now on a quest to find a pumpkin whoopie pie recipe, or if not, I will just play around and create my own. The ones at WS have a cream cheese filling, which is easy enough, it will just be a matter of getting the cookie part right ( it's sort of a cake-like consistency ).  If I could also find a mini pumpkin baking pan that would be even better! If any of you have seen one somewhere, PLEASE let me know! We have a LOT of people coming for Thanksgiving this year and these would be a great snack for kids and adults alike.

Have a happy Thursday all and I DO plan on getting the new Thanksgiving/Harvest pinnie up ASAP as well as a few ready-to-ship, OOAK, $18 pinnies. Great for Christmas gifts! :)

Oh, and there is only one each of the tester bubble skirts left (you choose the size).

{ find here & here }

Just Sayin' - if you had your eye on one, this is your last chance!

Easy Decadence

Hugs & Chips Cheesecake

2 ( 3 oz ) pkgs cream cheese, softened
1 ( 14 oz ) sweetened condensed milk ( not evaporated milk )
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 tsp flour
1 chocolate pie crust
chocolate glaze ( recipe to follow )
chocolate curls ( optional )

1.  Preheat oven to 350. With mixer, beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in milk until smooth. Add egg and vanilla; mix well.

2.  Toss choc chips with flour, stir into cheese mixture.  Pour into crust.

3.  Bake 35 minutes or until center springs back when lightly touched. Cool and top with glaze and curls. Serve chilled.  Refrigerate leftovers.
{ note: to me this tastes better the next day! }

Chocolate Glaze

Melt 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips with 1/4 cup whipping cream; cook and stir until thickened and smooth.  Immediately spread over pie. Chill until firm.


{ This is SUPER fast to make ~ takes me about 10 minutes to mix and the only time-consuming part is the baking and chilling. It's a great dessert to take to parties and family gatherings. Sure to satisfy the most decadent sweet tooth! :) }

Of Whoopie Pies and More Pinafores

I mentioned on Friday that I would be trying out a Whoopie pie recipe over the weekend.  I fell in love with these babies after having tasted one from the new Creme De la Cookie bakery here in Dallas and being a DIY kind of person, wanted to make some myself.  I did a search and found a pretty good-looking recipe at Epicurious and decided to give it a go.



They were SO easy to make and my volunteer taste-testers tell me they're definitely a keeper.

Couple of notes though~

1) The recipe suggests using good-quality cocoa, like Droste.  I only had Ghirardelli on hand, and while it was okay, I think I will use Droste next time.  Not positive it will make any kind of difference, but I think it might.

2) I made the recipe to a "T" the first time, but was not totally pleased with the filling.  It tasted great, but the consistency was too runny and not fluffy enough.  I had noticed that in the reviews, many people noted the same thing and had used a different filling recipe posted by another reviewer (if you make these and want to try it, go to page 2 of the reviews and look for one by "missbhavens"), so I made another batch using that one. The consistency was better, but I really was not crazy about the taste at all. So, I think I would stick with the original one and either cut down on the marshmallow cream or add extra powdered sugar to make it just a little thicker.

3) I used an ice cream scoop to scoop out the cookie dough and got exactly 8 whoopie pies as per the recipe. However, they turned out really large so you could use something smaller and probably get 16 minis out of one batch. I ended up eating only half of one because they were so big, so next time I know I will definitely make them smaller. My taste-testers recommended the same thing.

I am anxious to search out some more recipes and other flavors to play with!! If you are looking for a quick snack for the family (or for yourself!), or an unusual treat to take to an event, then I totally recommend giving these a try. They were so much fun, super easy and quite tasty! :0)

Okay, changing subject here...

 I found 3 more discontinued pinafores that I'd love to get rid of.  Two are ready to ship (Pop Garden & Freshest Flowers) and the other one (Ruby) will be within a week of purchase. All have the same $15 price as offered before. This really, really, really should be the last - Promise!!! :)


POP GARDEN (3T)







FRESHEST FLOWERS (2T)






RUBY (3m - 3T)







If you are interested, you can find them here:

Final Clearance Sale

And the Winner Is...

I don't have your contact info, so hopefully you'll be checking in to see if you won! Leave me a comment with your e-mail and I'll get in touch regarding the details so we can get some cupcakes sent your way! :0)

Happy Friday all ~ I am making whoopie pies tonight and if they turn out well I will post the recipe and some pics. Ever since I had one the other day at the bakery I mentioned, I've had a taste for more.  I also found out that these babies are fast becoming the new "cupcake" and there are SO many yummy-sounding versions ( like pumkin! )...
Check it out:
Whoopie!

Thanks again for participating in the giveaway ~ We'll be doin' it again here soon!

A new find

I am sure you are getting really, really sick and tired of seeing me post about cupcakes. But I just HAVE to share about a brand new bakery I discovered yesterday here in Dallas~




Notice the "Addiction Hotline"? Love it.

They are actually a full bakery, not just limited to cupcakes ( though their double-chocolate one almost rivals Sprinkles ), and I must say that the Whoopie Pie was to die for.  Actually, everything in there looked absolutely scrumptious,  but I had restrain myself.  Next time I'll try a cookie and a lemon bar ( I have a huge weakness for good lemon bars, too! ).  Or maybe another cupcake flavor.  Or a cake ball.  Or a brownie.  It's a wonder I don't weigh 300 lbs!  Seriously.  I am not skinny by any stretch of the imagination, but just average sized and I like it that way ( being tall and exercising several times a week helps, LOL )!  Life's waaaay too short not to enjoy good food every now and then! ;)

Okay, one more cupcake related item and then I'll give you a break from this subject for awhile...

Sweet Sarah, who knows how much I LOVE cupcakes and all things related, sent me a link to this awesome little container~





The Cup-A-Cake holder!  I m.u.s.t. have one and see on their list of retailers that Crate & Barrel, Williams-Sonoma and Sur La Table carry them, all of which are in my area so no shipping cost for me!!! ;)
Thanks for thinking of me, Sarah!

Have a wonderful Wednesday and don't forget, tomorrow is the LAST day to enter the giveaway!

Berrylicious

One of my favorite things about early summer is the selection of berries available. I *LOVE* berries of any kind and tend to stock up on them since they are so readily available right now and don't cost and arm and a leg. Last night I realized that there were two cartons of blueberries in the fridge that had not been eaten yet. Usually they are gone by now, but for some reason we just haven't dug into them as much this week and they were on the brink of going bad. So, I decided to get out an old Blueberry Muffin recipe that I used to make ALL the time, but haven't in a very long while.





These are really easy to make and with some of my favorite fatty ingredients ( sour cream and oil ) included, they are extremely moist, but not too sweet, and the berries do not "sink".  I can get 2 & 1/2 dozen out of one batch and they freeze really well. I think you could use any berry you have on hand ( strawberries, raspberries, blackberries... ) and they would taste just as good. You can use frozen berries if you need to. I much prefer fresh but have had to use frozen in a pinch.

If you have some extra berries on hand too, give these a go ~ If you are a muffin-lover like me, I think you'll be pleased with the results! :)


{ Blueberry Cream Muffins }


4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups ( 16 oz ) sour cream

2 cups fresh blueberries


In a mixing bowl, beat eggs.  Gradually add sugar.  While beating, slowly pour in oil; add vanilla.  Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl; add alternately with the sour cream to the egg mixture.  Gently fold in blueberries.  Spoon into greased muffin tins* ( I grease AND flour mine, or you can use a cooking spray w/ flour like Baker's Joy ).  Bake at 400 degrees for 20 mins ( I did 15 mins, but my oven tends to cook fast and I did not want them overdone and dry ).

* I sprinkle mine with raw sugar before baking

They passed the test...

I am picky about my brownies. I am not sure why, but I have to really like them or I won't eat them at all. I have one recipe that is my very, very, very favorite ( like, I need to copy it onto the computer soon because my paper version is just about unreadable. Good thing I have it memorized... ), but after hearing rave reviews about this recipe, I had to give it a try last night. I think I have a new favorite.

The story is...

My mom and I had organized a reception for my sister's piano recital this past weekend. One of the ladies who was helping us with the food brought these brownies. I really wanted to taste them, but a friend whom I have not seen in a long time caught me before I could get to the table and before I knew it, as we stood there visiting, the empty plate of brownies walked past... As well as an empty bowl of scrumptious strawberries, a platter of delicious looking cookies and a tray of coconut chocolate bars. Bummer.
I think there were some grapes left...Oh, and some nuts.

But, the lady kindly offered to e-mail the recipe to those interested, so as soon as I got it yesterday, I made a trip to the grocery store and got the items needed to make up a batch since my pantry was a little low in the chocolate department. I was not disappointed...They turned out fantastic and were SO fast and easy (one bowl)! Oh, little tip: don't taste-test the batter, it's addictive.

These are even better after having sat overnight. Supposedly you can freeze them in an airtight container for up to a month, but honestly, how many of you really have leftover brownies that need to be frozen?

If you need a chocolate fix today, then take a look in your cupboard ( you will probably have most of the listed ingredients already ) or make a quick trip to the store and get baking ~  I promise, you won't be sorry! :0)


{ Double Chocolate Brownies }



2 ( 1oz ) squares unsweetened chocolate

2 ( 1 oz ) squares semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup butter, softened ( the recipe did not specify, but I used unsalted )

2 cups sugar

4 large eggs

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 cup chopped, toasted pecans
( I generally don't like nuts in my brownies, so I omitted these )

3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
 ( I used Guittard brand and switched to semi-sweet just because I like the taste better than milk choc. Also, I used a whole pkg rather than just 3/4 cup. The more chocolate, the better, IMO! )


Melt chocolate squares in double-boiler on stovetop. Beat butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add melted chocolate, beating just until blended.

Add flour and salt, beating at low speed just until blended. Stir in vanilla, half of pecans and half of chocolate chips.

Spread into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with remaining pecans and choc. chips.

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 mins ( I underbaked mine by 5 mins for a more fudgy texture ). Cool completely on rack.

Oh, Cupcake!

I am a cupcake addict. I am not sure which wins out - my addiction to fabric, or these sweet things. They are probably equal. I love to eat them and I love to make them. And I love to search out bakeries with outstanding cupcakes. So far, I have not found anything to top a Sprinkles confection. I don't know if you have one of these cupcake-only bakeries in your area ( it's a national chain ), but if you do and you have not been, go NOW!  I have tried all the flavors (including the special holiday ones) and have yet to be disappointed. Tomorrow the Cinco flavor (Belgian dark chocolate cake w/ bittersweet and Mexican cinnamon frosting  - in honor of Cinco de Mayo) will be available and I already have plans to stop by and get one. :)

After that, I'd say that Hey Cupcake! in Austin is another top fav.

 
Can't beat the awesome Airstream trailer and the Michael Jackson cupcake is very tasty. I had to get that one because I have actually seen MJ up close and personal (another story - stayed in the same hotel in London, on the same floor, down the same hallway... very interesting to say the least) and I wondered how on earth you could name such a wonderful thing like a cupcake after such an interesting ( I'm being nice here ) person? But despite it's name, I was very pleased! I think I have tried 3 other flavors and all were good. They even have vegan cupcakes, which I plan to taste next time I'm down that way.

Anyway, I am getting sidetracked here... All this to say, I was in a cupcake mood last night and decided to try yet another recipe ( the one in the top photo ). They are supposed to be red velvet, but as you can see, I did not have quite enough red coloring to achieve the desired effect. They also turned out drier than I expected despite the underbaking, and the cream cheese frosting was a tad more runny than I prefer. Other than that, they were easy to make and a tasty way to end the day! :0)

If you have a favorite cupcake recipe that you would like to share, please send it my way ~ I am always looking for new ones!!