Chocolate Banana Muffins

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Well, I'm happy to announce that our newest addition has arrived!  We are SOOOOOOO in love with him!!!

As expected, I don't find much time for cooking or baking, so I'm so thankful that I took the time to make meals in advance and stock my freezer with them.
On one of my cooking days, I had invited some friends to join me.  My friend, Robyn, was so sweet to make a couple batches of chocolate chip cookie dough that we balled and froze.  She reminded me that it's important to have some goodies on hand as well.
Definitely words of wisdom!
I then shifted my mode of making dinners to making treats too.
Today's recipe is one of those that I made in advance, froze, and have been able to pull out to treat my family.
When I was searching the web for a good banana muffin recipe, I came across this one.  (Original recipe found HERE.)  I asked my hubby if he thought I should try banana muffins with chocolate.  He didn't really understand why I was actually asking him this because in his mind, anything is better with chocolate.
So, we gave these a try and everyone LOVED them!  I thought the chocolate/banana ratio was just perfect - not so banana-y that you couldn't taste the chocolate and not so chocolate-y that you didn't know that these were banana muffins.  They are a PERFECT after school snack!

Here's what you'll need:
1 1/2 C. flour3/4 C. sugar1/4 C. cocoa powder1 tsp. baking soda1/2 tsp. salt1/4 tsp. baking powder1 1/3 C. mashed ripe bananas1/3 C. oil1 egg1 or 2 C. chocolate chips (depending on how many you want)
                                        (Just a little side note, I got this touchpad for Christmas, and this is my FAVORITE way to use it - finding great recipes!!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and baking powder.  

In a medium-sized bowl, cominbe mashed bananas, oil, and egg.  

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.  Stir until the mixture is moist and there are no more streaks of the dry ingredients.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  

With a large scoop or spoon, fill the greased or lined muffin cups 3/4 of the way full with the batter.  Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted int he middle of a muffin comes out clean.
When I made these, it made 12 regular-sized muffins and 12 mini muffins.



YUM!!!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

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We just celebrated my hubby's birthday.  He LOVES chocolate (we're a match made in Heaven).  So when I was trying to decide what kind of birthday cake to make him, I knew it had to be some kind of chocolate cake.
I have made him a chocolate chocolate cake, a chocolate strawberry cake, a chocolate and toffee cake, a chocolate and cream cake.  So when I came across THIS RECIPE, I thought it would be the perfect addition to my repertoire of cakes for my Honey.
 Talk about AMAZING!!!  We all absolutely loved it!

I made only two minor changes.  1.)  I only used 8 oz. cream cheese instead of the 10 oz. it calls for in the frosting.  2.)  I didn't have any half and half, so I used whipping cream in the chocolate-peanut butter glaze.  Otherwise, I followed the recipe exactly.

Well, I guess I shouldn't say exactly.  I let the glaze firm up then piped it on top and around the bottom of the cake.  Then I topped all of that with chopped mini Reese's peanut butter cups.

So, there you have it-my slightly adapted version.

You really should give it a try.

YAY FOR BIRTHDAYS!!!

Cheesy Potatoes

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Cheesy potatoes are very popular around here.  They have several different names - Potato Casserole and Funeral Potatoes to name a few.  Call them whatever you want, just know that these are VERY good!
I made these for our Easter dinner.  My baby was so new at that point that I needed menu options that were quick and easy to put together.  These potatoes were perfect!  In fact, I assembled the ingredients and placed them in the pan the day before.  Then on Easter, all I had to do was bake them.
LOVED that!!

Try these out sometime.  Sometime soon!  Your family will thank you.  At least, mine did.
Here's what you'll need:
2 lb. bag frozen hashbrowns, shredded or cubed1 Tbsp. dried, chopped onion OR 1/3 C. onion, chopped1 can cream of chicken soup1 C. sour cream2-4 Tbsp. butter or margarine, melted (opt.)3 C. grated cheese, divided
In a large bowl, combine the hashbrowns, onion, cream of chicken soup, sour cream, melted butter, and 2 cups of cheese.


Place in a greased 9x13-inch baking pan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Remove from the oven and top with remaining 1 cup of cheese.

Bake for another 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Another way you can make this is to omit the last cup of cheese and before placing in the oven, top the potato mixture with 1 1/3 cups cornflakes that have been crushed and mixed with another 2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine.  Then bake as directed.

The Highlight of My Kitchen...A Bosch Mixer

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It's been almost a month since I've posted last!  Have you missed me?  Well, I've missed you.

I had surgery almost 4 weeks ago (tonsils and adenoids removed and a deviated septum fixed) and I had no idea how tough recovery would be!  PHEW!!!  It was rough!

But I'm happy to report that I'm almost back to my normal self again.  YAY!!

Though, I've suffered a very unfortunate side effect from my surgery.  Almost everything I eat that is sweet tastes HORRIBLE!  Has that happened to anyone else?  My sense of taste has been drastically altered, and as a food blogger, that's absolutely devastating.

Thankfully, my taste has been returning, but more slowly than I want.  I should just be grateful that it's returning at all.  So, while I'm not trying new recipes right now, I wanted to address a question I've received about my stand mixer.

An anonymous person asked me what kind of mixer I have pictured in my Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies post.

This is what I have...a Bosch Universal Mixer.  It is by far the most used item and highlight of my kitchen.

My wonderful mother-in-law gave this to me for Christmas several years ago and it is an absolute treasure!

They have since remodeled the Bosch and the new ones look like this...



Here are a couple of links for you to check out that compare a Bosch and a Kitchenaid:

http://www.everythingkitchens.com/boschvskitchenaid.html
http://www.everythingkitchens.com/bosch-video-index-main.html

When it comes to making bread, there is absolutely NO comparison!  The Bosch is so far more superior to any Kitchenaid.  The way a Bosch kneads bread dough allows the dough to only rise once, after it is formed into loaves.

A Kitchenaid or any other stand mixer, however, requires that dough must rise before it is formed into loaves and again after it is formed into loaves.

That right there saves you about an hour.  Awesome!

I use my Bosch to make so many things...cakes, bread, cookies, cheesecake, mashed potatoes, quick breads, shredded chicken, pie filling, and on and on and on.

It makes cooking and baking such a breeze!

Here are some of my favorite ways to use my Bosch...

Potato Bread
Breadsticks
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cinnamon Rolls
Fudge Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Soft Pretzels
Whole Wheat Bread
Multi-Grain Bread
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Snickerdoodles
Chewies
Chocolate, Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caramel Toffee Brownies
Dark Chocolate Cookie Sheet Brownies

Frosty & Rudolph Donuts

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It's almost Christmas!!!  We are getting so excited around here!  
I had to post these adorable donuts that I had the kids in my daughter's class make for their Christmas party.  They were so simple and so stinkin' cute!  We've been making LOTS more today to give away as neighbor gifts.
These might even be fun to make for Santa.  I'm sure he'd enjoy them!
Thanks to wonderful Nikki from Chef In Training for posting these and lots of other super fun Christmas goodie ideas.

I hope you all have a fantastic Christmas!!

Explosion Box for Shannon

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I hope it is true that great things come in "small packages"...haha  I needed a way that would be fun to present my DIL with a Groupon and money....her Christmas present.  I just didn't want to present them in a card.  You can see the Groupon folded on one side and the money will be on the opposite side.
I did Santa's sleigh and then placed flying reindeer at different heights.  When the box is opened everything seems as if they are flying (movement). I created a sleigh and reindeer svg last year and the other reindeer is a MS punch.  The poinsettia is from SVGCUTS.com from the Wintergreen Collection.

I'm entering this in Joan's Gardens challenge: decorate a box to use at Christmas

Cheery Lynn Holly Vine die

Snow Angel (2nd posting today)

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This little snow fairy has the happiest little smile.  I made several of these little cards since they were quick and easy and can be another "go-to" during the winter months...even Valentines where I used a little heart Silhouette file die I made. The rest...copics, glitter, punches, embossing folders and stitching!
She's from Bugaboo Stamps called Winter Fairy - Snowflakes.  Bugaboo has a great 50% off sale going on now!

A2, size, ribbon too

Challenges:QKR Stampede: snowmen, snowballs, snow angels, snow

Tool Box Gift Card Holder

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This is a "one step" side card.  I got my inspiration from a side-step card I saw at Splitcoaster Stamps.  However, I don't remember where the carpenter man came from.  I know, I know, the second time this week.  PLEASE let me know.  The second problem was with the photography.  The red washed out and the brushed nickel on the tools can't be seen and it's really cool looking with fantastic texture!  The peg board and tools came from SVGCUTS.com called "Cliff's Clubhouse".
I'm using this card to hold my son's gift card and money...stuck to the back of the peg board....haha

A2 size, silver mirror cardstock embossed with SU folder, pop-ups for dimension of tools and drawers

screw brads, copics, doggie brad (Jackson the dog likes to watch his daddy)

Snowmen have a heart

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I'm getting in the wintery mode.  There will be no snow here on Christmas, but the blustery days of January and February are not far away.  Gosh, I can use this for winter and Valentines. Green struck me as the color to use. Snow burst corner die, embossing folder, copics, stickles, string and tattered edges completed this card.  I'm making 4 more as "go to" cards. The image is from Designed2Delight Digital Stamps called "Snow Angel".

5x5, also pop-ups for dimensions of die, snowflake embellishment

Blue shadowing of copics hard to see but it's deeper than what you see here.

Challenges:
QKR Stampede - snowmen, snowballs, snow angels, snow fun

Glass Block

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First, I hope our friends from Charleston don't see this post.  Anyhow, my plan was to something beachy but I wasn't "feelin' it", so I saw something similar on Splitcoasterstamps and put my own twist to this. They can use this throughout the year and change lights and ribbon when they want a change.

Super easy but it's always the "first" one to design and size that takes so long.  I can crank them out if I decide to do more.  The background swirl cut file came from the Silhouette store.  I changed the ribbon, but use this green for a quick picture.  Sorry about background choice.  I Armored Etched the front so the lights in the block wouldn't be so bright... another very easy 5 minute process.

7x7 block from AC Moore's, apologizes for background..overhead light one

overhead lights off in the kitchen, swirl and name cut using Silhouette Cameo

another angle with lights off in my kitchen

Restaurant Review: Melt in Northside

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I had high hopes for Melt. I really did.

Can you guess which direction this review is going?

I had some kind of deal (Groupon? Livingsocial? Don't remember.) so we decided to go to Melt for brunch one Sunday. We got there at 2:25 PM and they were no longer serving brunch though brunch is supposed to go until 3:00 PM. So just a heads up, if you are going there for brunch, apparently you need to call ahead of time to make sure they are still gonna be serving it! I hate that. When a place advertises that they serve brunch or breakfast until a certain time, it should be until that time. I understand if they sell out of something. Then that should be expressed on the website or menu. Such as "Serving brunch until 3:00 PM or until sold out". Yep, that would be nice.

view of Melt from my car :)

Here's what it looks like on the inside. There is also a seating area in the back but we didn't go back there to see it.


















  

My date :)




















Let's just say it wasn't the cleanest place. They had these yellow magnetic words on the wall for you to make your own phrases and words. Dingy yellow words. We didn't really want to touch them. They looked like they had years and years of grease, grime, and dirt on them.



















They had opened straws on the table. That's no good.... the straws are collecting dust that way! Their little salt and pepper and napkin tray had dirt in it, paper trash, and looked like it needed a good cleaning.




















Hard crusted food/booger on their display in the bottom right. Ew! Not touching that. Go ahead and click on it to enlarge and zoom in on the nasty.

























There were also flies buzzing around us and our food. Never appetizing.

Not only were there flies and dirt, there was a fan right next to me blowing napkins the whole time. Not comfortable while eating.

Oh, and the tables were tiny... our plates barely fit on them.

Finally after waiting 35 minutes, they brought out our food. We had ordered Rudys Nachos (which says $7.50 on their website but we were charged $8.75) as an appetizer but it ended up coming out with our food. Again, hate that. An appetizer is an appetizer. That means serve it before the main course!!!

 
















Anyhoo, the chili on the nachos was pretty good actually, but the nachos overall were pretty bootleg to us. Sun chips, first of all. Don't get me wrong, I love sun chips. But never seen them used for restaurant nachos. That was a first. And there was a half-melted slice of cheese on top, and cold shredded mozzarella. Not impressed for the price. Or for half the price, really.

























PJ ordered The Joan Of Arc with a side ($9.75). The sandwich had roast beef, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, blue cheese, caramelized onions and provolone melted on foccaccia. He didn't like his sandwich. I liked his bread better than my rye bread. I'm a foccaccia kinda gurl.

















I ordered The Hoffner with a side ($9.75). The Hoffner had roast beef, marinated mushrooms, red onion, baby organic spinach, swiss and horseradish cream melted on rye bread. The roast beef was gray and hard, unfortunately. I did like the marinated mushrooms and horseradish very much, but the hard gray meat and nasty rye made it not good for me. It was served with a side of cold, undercooked potatoes.








































 


For drinks, PJ got a Nantucket Nectars OJ ($2), and I got a Bottled 355ml Coke ($1.75 I think). No fountain drinks or free refills :(

It's not that I like writing bad reviews. Why would I? Why would I want to not enjoy an experience that I paid for?!? Plus you know I love food, people! I don't think there is ever a time that I am hoping for bad food. If I could write a better review, I would.

Hey, I just call em like I see em. It just wasn't worth it and we were very disappointed with the food, cleanliness, and wait.

Maybe you'll have a better experience?

Not sure, but I definitely won't be back to see if I will.

Not going back ever. Ever ever.


Peace, and bacon grease!