Been a while...

I've been really slacking with writing...I haven't been doing too much baking either. But, FALL is here and it's my favorite time of the year! I have so many things in mind to bake. Fall just makes you want to put on warm, comfy clothes and eat yummy comfort food. I can't wait until it's time to pack up summer clothes for good and get out all my hoodies, leggings, boots, etc.

I have been super obsessed with www.pinterest.com I find myself repinning a lot of pumpkin recipes lately. I'm going to make one tomorrow that I can't wait to try. I'll have to remember to take pictures & actually post it! You should definitely check out Pinterest if you haven't already. But, I must warn you...it's VERY addicting!

Last Saturday my bestie, Elizabeth, & I had a "craft day" at her house. We had all these different craft ideas in mind to make for the day and thought we'd make at least 3 crafts or so...that didn't really work out. First we had to go get the materials... that didn't go as we had thought it would..it took waaaay longer. Seems, we are very indecisive. lol. Picking out fabric alone took over an hour and I may or may not have broke one of the shelf racks at Walmart and made about 100 fabric squares fall to the floor..lol Oops! After we got our materials from Hobby Lobby, Home Depot, & Walmart & refueled with some Chick-fil-A we finally made wreaths! We found the idea on Pinterest (of course!) and went at it. It was a lot of fun! We also made a scarf out of a t-shirt, but I don't have a picture of that...maybe I should do that! We have a lot more fun ideas for fall, winter, & Christmas that we want to do.

Cutting strips of fabric

Elizabeth cutting her fabric

My finished product for my bedroom

Elizabeth's finished product...fall wreath :)

I made another wreath the next day too.

Hopefully I will be posting again tomorrow with the pumpkin recipe I plan on making! : )

Cake Pops

Cake pops seem to be the new fad here lately...so of course I had to follow the crowd & try them out for myself ; ) They were very simple to make & turned out super cute...they would be ideal for parties or get togethers!

Ingredients:

• Cake mix (and ingredients listed on box) {use the flavor of your choice}

• 1/2 can of icing (flavor of your choice)

• Milk chocolate candy melts (I used one bag from Hobby Lobby)

• Lollipop sticks (from Hobby Lobby) 

• Colorful icing for decorating

• Sprinkles 

Directions:

• Prepare & bake the cake as directed on the box
• After the cake has cooled, crumble it up into a large bowl
• Put half of the can of icing in the cake crumbs & then mix with your hands (time to get dirty!)
• Make sure the cake is mixed very well with the icing them start forming small round balls of cake
• Microwave chocolate in microwavable bowl, but make sure not to overcook!
• Stir thoroughly until completely melted then dip a lollipop stick into the chocolate
• Place the lollipop stick into the center of the cake pop (the icing acts as a glue)
• Now roll the cake pop into the chocolate...I dipped a spoon into the chocolate & then rolled the cake pop around in the spoon until evenly coated
• and lastly is the fun part...decorating!

You can also set the lollipop sticks into styrofoam so the cake pops will stand upright, but I didn't have any styrofoam but I thought it turned out just as cute : )

Cherry Jello Dessert

A friend from work gave me this recipe. I was looking for something low cal that was "summery" & this seemed like a type of dessert for a cookout. It's very refreshing & light. I have no clue what the actual name of this recipe is so I just made up one ; )

Cherry Jello Dessert 


2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
1 box cherry sugar free jello
1 can cherry pie filling (no sugar added)
15 oz crushed pineapple (don't drain)

• Boil water & sugar
• Add jello & dissolve
• Add pie filling & pineapple (with juice)
• Pour into 13 x 9 dish & congeal

Topping:
8 oz Sour Cream (light)
8oz Cream Cheese (fat free)
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup pecan pieces 

• Mix sour cream & cream cheese with hand mixer
• Add sugar & vanilla 
• Mix until smooth
• Pour topping over jello & smooth
• Sprinkle nuts over top if desired
• Chill before eating  

It doesn't look very pretty, but it tastes good! ; ) 

Nutritional Facts: Makes 12 servings, 140 calories, 3g fat, 0 fiber, 175 sodium, 11g sugar

Random

I was looking through some of my pictures on the computer & I thought these were worth posting. I wish I had a better camera....my camera seems to take the worst pictures in the kitchen because of the lighting. Oh well, you get the idea ; )

This is a cake my sister, Sara, made from scratch. I thought it was really pretty & it tasted great! Yellow cake & chocolate icing...yum!

This is Kaylen, my friend Belinda's little girl...she & I were making cupcakes for Easter this year

Kaylen's finished product : ) (See what I mean about the lighting)

One of my mini cupcakes...I just think mini cupcakes are so cute!

I ended up with a lot of mini cupcakes so I made a little something for my brother & his wife. (Don't mind the ugly old pan I used to sit them on haha)

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies

These turned out really good. The pumpkin spice with the chocolate has a really good taste. Kinda seems like a Thanksgiving dessert with the pumpkin ; )

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Brownies 

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 & 1/4 cup white sugar
1 large egg
2 tsp pure vanilla
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
1-1/2 ounces semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1/2 chopped pecans

• Lightly grease baking dish with cooking spray, butter, or margarine. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Blend together flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
• Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream butter and sugar. Next add the egg, plus the vanilla extract. Continue mixing until well combined and smooth.
• Stir in the pumpkin puree and then turn speed to low. Mix in dry ingredients and blend until combined. Add chocolate chips and pecans.
• Spread the batter evenly in greased baking dish. Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top. Bake at 350 degrees until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean about 38 to 42 minutes.

**Makes about 28 brownies (depending on how big you cut them) 175 calories, 10g fat, 1g fiber**

Banana Nut Muffins

Yes, another recipe with bananas. : ) After making the banana choc chip cookies I thought I'd try to make some homemade banana nut muffins since there were a couple of super ripe bananas left. I had never made these before & my boyfriend mentioned that he really liked them so I thought I would give it a try. I've only ever made muffins out of those mixes where you just add water ; )

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients:
2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 egg (beaten)
1 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup mashed banana (I used two whole bananas)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees
• Grease a 12-cup muffin pan. Sift flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a medium bowl; make a well in the center.
• Mix milk, egg, water, oil, mashed bananas, and pecans in a small bowl, Pour mixture into well.
• Mix batter just until moistened; do not overmix.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, Bake until a toothpick in the center comes out clean or until muffins are golden brown, about 15 minutes.

*One muffin is about 210 calories

Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies

I decided to do a little late night baking tonight because surprisingly I'm not sleepy yet & there were some bananas that were getting almost too ripe. I've made this recipe a couple times before & everyone seems to enjoy them. I got the recipe from my Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet cookbook. I got it at a book fair at work & it has become one of my faves!


Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients:
1/3 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (I used a whole banana)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I usually just eye ball this as I'm pouring it in)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp baking soda
1 cup (6 oz) semisweet choc chips (I used mini choc chips)

• In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, banana and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in chocolate chips.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 in. apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

Yield: 3 dozen
Nutritional Facts: 1 cookie equals 66 calories, 3g fat, 51mg sodium, 9g carbs, trace fiver, 1 g protein