100 Calorie Cupcake

The 100 Calorie Cupcake!

My little family was invited to a friend's house for dinner a few weeks ago.  We had the most moist, delicious, low calorie cake ever.  When I heard the recipe I couldn't believe how easy and quick it was, so naturally, I had to try it out in cupcake form.  Totally delish and worth every calorie!

Cake

Mix 1 box cake mix (just the mix, do NOT add water, eggs or oil) with 1 can diet soda

(*Pictured: white cake mix with Diet Sierra Mist)

Frosting/Topping

Mix 1 small tub of lite whipped topping with 1 small container of yogurt

(*Picutred: whipped topping with strawberry yogurt)

See...super easy!  Go ahead and give it a whirl.  No one will believe that each cupake is only 100 calories.  And at that count you can eat two!

{the very BEST} Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

I found this recipe somewhere in the internet world a few years back.  I have been 100% addicted ever since.  It's a take on Great Harvest's Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread, and is honestly just as good as the real thing.  I often make it into muffins instead of bread just so we can share the wealth.  It bakes great either way.

the very BEST Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bread

2 1/2 c. white flour

1 c. whole wheat flour

3 c. sugar

2 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. salt

16 oz. cooked or canned pumpkin puree (not pie filling)

1 c. oil

4 eggs, beaten lightly

2/3 c. water

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 (9x5 inch) bread pans.

Mix flours, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl; set aside.

Mix pumpkin, eggs, water, oil, and 2/3 c. water and stir into dry ingredients.

Stir in chocolate chips.

Place batter in prepaired pans.

Bake 60-70 minutes (only 30 for the small ones) until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

*The only thing I do differently is that I use a large can of the pumpkin instead of only 16 oz and I use the entire bag of chocolate chips instead of just half. You know, if you're not going to eat whole wheat bread you might as well get the most out of it that you can.

Masi Samoa

I've tried making Masi Samoa, a Samoan coconut "cookie," on several occasions. They've always turned out alright, but I finally found a perfect recipe that doesn't make over 5 pounds of cookie.
Check out Panipopos' Kitchen for the full recipe.

These cookies are not super sweet. They're sort of bland but have a coconut flavor to them. It's worth a shot if you're a coconut lover- or if you're married to a hot Samoan.

Pumpkin, Spice & Everything Nice

I'm trying to hang on to Summer as long as possible.  The weather this week, however, has not cooperated with my "hanging on" plan.  It's been in the upper 70's which, honestly, is perfect, but that means that Fall is on its merry way.  What better way to welcome Fall (while still hanging on to Summer) than by baking with pumpkin?  My mom makes the best Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies ever.  You're lucky I'm sharing.

Mom’s Pumpkin Cookies

4 c flour

2 c oats

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp salt

1 ½ c butter softened

2 c brown sugar

1 c sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 16 oz solid packed pumpkin

2 c chocolate chips

-cream butter and gradually add sugars

-then add egg and vanilla

-mix all dry ingredients together minus the oats

-add flour mix alternating with pumpkin

-add oats

-add chocolate chips

Bake 350 for 17-20 min

Grandma Johnson's Scones

I absolutely love breakfast foods (except eggs). My little sister once made these with a friend and then passed the recipe on to me.   I don't make them often, but they are a nice mix up for breakfast.  I have no idea who Grandma Johnson is, but she sure does make a mean scone!

Grandma Johnson's Scones
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup raisins (optional)*

Directions
In a small bowl, blend the sour cream and baking soda, and set aside.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a large baking sheet.
In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
Cut in the butter.**
Stir the sour cream mixture and egg into the flour mixture until just moistened.
Mix in the raisins.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead briefly.
Roll or pat dough into a 3/4 inch thick round.
Cut into 12 wedges, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.***
Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden brown on the bottom.

* Per my sister's suggestion, I replaced the raisens with frozen blueberries.  You could really use anything that satisfies your taste buds.
**  Freeze the butter and grate it into the mixture with a cheese grater.  This helps to "cut in."
***  I like the idea of a round scone better than a triangle (who knows why?).  I use a circle cookie cutter or the mouth of a glass to form circles (and my 4 year old daughter loves to turn them into hearts with her own cookie cutter).

Scooby Snacks

Remember that thing I ordered on ebay? Well, it arrived! And much sooner than I had anticipated. They day I received it in the mail I had to go borrow some molasses from my good neighbor to get the show on the road. I was that excited.

You see, my children are very much into Scooby Doo right now and they often ask me if I have any Scooby Snacks.  One day I figured out that I could just whip up my own Scobby Snacks and they'd think it was pretty much the coolest thing ever.  And let me tell you, they do!  They've been asking for Scooby Snacks all day.  Even the hubster asked for them- in a Scooby voice- and that alone just about made my day.

Scooby Snacks (aka My Mom's Gingerbread Cookies)

MIX:
 1 cup sugar
 1cup molasses
 3/4 cup oil
 1/2 cup hot water

ADD: 2 eggs and beat

MIX: 1 teasp baking soda
  1 teasp cinnamon
  1 rounded teasp ginger
  1/2 teasp salt
  7 cups flour

BAKE:  350 for 10 min.

Hint:  measure the oil first and then the molasses and the molasses will slide right  out of cup leaving it quite clean, then measure the hot water, with same cup.

Sopapilla Cheesecake

I found this recipe on My Yellow Umbrella via Pinterest.  Holy shniekies! is it ever good!  It's essentially a layer of cream cheese sandwiched between buttery crescent rolls and topped with sugar and cinnamon.

Yeah, yeah, I know I said I wasn't making any more treats until I lose the baby weight.  I had a good excuse this time.  Hubby asked me to make them so he could take them to visit a family.  I just kept the leftovers. :)

Pani Popo: Cheater's Choice

My husband isn't big on sweets, but he does love his Samoan Pani Popo. Pani Popo is a dessert dish in his native Samoa and as we were hosting a Samoan dinner last night I prepared this for dessert.

As I'm far from a slave to my kitchen I made Pani Popo in my Cheater's Choice style.  Normally you would prepare a batch of white bread dough and roll into 12 rolls.  Being the cheater that I am, I purchased frozen Rhode's Rolls.

Pani Popo

12 rolls (frozen or homemade)

1 can coconut milk

1 cup sugar

Lay 12 rolls to rise in greased 9x13 pan.

Just before baking, combine coconut milk and sugar.

Pour mixture over raw dough.

Bake 15-20 minutes at 350, until top of rolls are golden brown.

Serve up and enjoy this Samoan treat.

Gold Medal Chocolate Chip Cookies

A few nights ago our friends brought us a big plate of chocolate chip cookies.  They were perfect; soft, chewy, round and delicious.  I ate six for breakfast the next morning.  No joke.  When I asked my friend for the recipe I just about died laughing inside.  You know that episode of Friends where Monica is trying to write the recipe for Phoebe's grandma's chocolate chip cookies?  That's what our conversation reminded me of.  The recipe for these cookies is straight off the back of the Gold Medal All-Purpose Flour bag. (I omitted the nuts.)

I baked some of the dough in the mini-muffin pan so my mini-me and I could have a tea party treat.  I highly suggest this, as with a dollop of ice-cream on top this makes a perfect mommy/daughter treat, especially when served up on her very own tea plate.  (It also makes a great treat while watching Project Runway with a BFF.)

Gold Medal Chocolate Chip Cookies
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c packed brown sugar
1 c butter or margarine, softened
1 egg, room temperature
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag (12 oz) choclate chips (2 cups)

1.  Heat over to 375.  In large bowl, mix sugars, butter and egg.  Sitr in flour, baking soda and salt.  Stir in chocolate chips.
2.  On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls about 2 inches apart.  Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until ight brown (centers will be soft).  Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.

Strawberry Trifle: Cheater's Choice

I love Summer for so many reasons! One of my favorite things of Summer is all of the light, fruity desserts. Nothing beats a fresh fruit trifle on a warm summer evening.

This is another Cheater's Choice. It's really simple to throw together and is a great take-along to a group BBQ or family dinner.

Strawberry Trifle: Cheater's Choice
1 yellow cake mix box
1 tub strawberries
3/4 c sugar
1 8oz container whipped topping

Bake cake according to directions.  Let cool.  Cut into 1 inch cubes.
Slice strawberries.  Stir in sugar.  Chill in refridgerator for 2 hours.

In glass bowl layers cake cubs, strawberries, whipped topping.  Repeat.

Chill 2 hours before serving.

Boston Cream Pies: Cheater's Choice

I was looking through my cupcake book the other day and decided that I wanted to try out making cupcake style Boston Cream Pie. I soon figured out that I didn't have enough time to make everything from scratch so I figured out my own cheater's way of doing it. So simple and satisfying.

Bostom Cream Pies: Cheater's Choice
1 box vanilla cake mix
1 box vanilla instant pudding
6 oz chocolate chip pieces

Prepare cake mix into 24 cupcakes
Prepare vanilla instant pudding
After cupcakes are cooled, cut in half with serrated knife
Spoon 1 Tbsp pudding onto each bottom half
Top with top half of cupcake
Melt chocolate chips and spoon onto top of cupcakes
Chill

See...simple!

Cowboy Cookies

My friend, Leslie, first introduced me to these at her son's birthday party (I believe her neighbor, Amber, made them). I won't admit to how many I ate that day. I finally snagged the recipe from her and got around to making them today.  I don't know why they're called Cowboy Cookies, but saddle up, baby, because your taste buds are in for a ride!

Cowboy Cookies
1 cup shortening (recommended: Crisco)
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 cups rolled oats
1 (6-ounce) package chocolate chips
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
 
Add all wet ingredients first and then sift in dry ingredients.   Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

*Amber says the secret to these is to mix everything by hand.

Citrus Splash

Hot this Summer? Cool yourself down with a simple Splash of Citrus. 

Citrus Splash
Mandarine oranges
Pineapple tidbits
Vanilla yogurt

Pour vanilla yogurt in bottom of glass
Layer with mandarine oranges
Then pineapple
Repeat

Peanut Butter Squares

These homemade Peanut Butter Squares have been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. I don't really even know where the recipe came from, but it's always been around.  It's quick, easy, and super addicting.  Use caution; you'll want to eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Homemade Peanut Butter Squares
1 package + 2 whole crackers from another package of graham cracker crumbs crushed
2 cubes margarine melted
1 cup peanut butter
1 box powdered sugar
6 oz chocolate chips

Combine crushed graham crackers, margarine and peanut butter
And powdered sugar
Press in 9x13 pan
Melt chocolate chips and pour over peanut butter mixture
Cool in fridge

Rainbow Jello Slices

Apparently I have a fetish for fun foods.  I saw these on pinterest and had to try them.  Good thing I had a birthday party to use them at.  These were so much fun! They are just a tad time consuming to make (if you make 6 different colors) but well worth it for the kids.

All have you have to do is:

1.  Cut oranges in half

2.  Remove fruit down to the peel

3.  Fill with jello

4.  Let set as jello recipe calls for

5.  Slice into normal size orange slices

The kids LOVE to eat them.

Little Gracie's

Poor little Gracie broke her arm.

And although I'm not State Farm,

I'm pretty sure these cheered her up.

At the very least I got a smile.

I used the recipe for "homemade oreos" and just left them separate instead of sandwiching them together.  They're purple because little Gracie deserves something cute.

 

Recipe:

1 cake mix

2 eggs

1/2 c oil

 

*Mix it all together, shape into small balls and bake at 375 for 8 minutes.

Blueberry Surprise

I was browsing the latest edition of Family Circle and came across this delicious looking summer treat.  I love me a blueberry muffin, so I could only guess that a blueberry cupcake would be that much better.  Oh. My. Gosh.  They are so good.  Even my hubby likes them, and he doesn't like sweets.

So you don't have to look it up, here's the recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4  cups  all-purpose flour
• 2  teaspoons  baking powder
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4  cup  sugar
• 2    eggs
• 3/4  cup  milk
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 3/4  cup  fresh blueberries
• 1 1/3  cups  heavy cream
• 3  tablespoons  granulated sugar
• 2/3  cup  fresh blueberries
• 1  tablespoon  confectioners' sugar (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line one 12-cup cupcake pan with foil or paper cupcake liners.
2. Cupcakes. In medium-size bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. In large bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer until smooth. Add sugar and beat until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time. On low speed, add half the flour mixture. Beat in the milk and vanilla, followed by remaining flour mixture. Fold in fresh blueberries.
3. Spoon batter into pan, a scant 1/3 cup in each indent. Bake at 375 degrees F for 23 to 25 minutes, turning pan once. Cool in pan on wire rack, then remove cakes from pan to cool completely.
4. Prepare Topping. In large bowl, combine cream and granulated sugar. Beat until medium-stiff peaks are formed. Spoon onto cooled cupcakes, about 1/4 cup on each. Scatter 6 or 7 blueberries over each cupcake, and dust with a little confectioners sugar, if desired. Serve immediately or keep cool until serving.

Play-Doh Cookies

Oh.My.Gosh! These are so much fun.  You have to try them.  I got distracted on allrecipes.com while searching for a new dinner recipe and ended up making these instead of dinner.  The best part about them is that it's so much fun with the kids.  They look like play-doh but they taste like a sugar cookie.  Go ahead- try it out.  You'll feel like you're 3 again.

High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ever since moving to Utah I have not been able to get my cookies to come out anything but flat (and for the most part, hard).  I found this recipe today and had to try it out.  The cookies still came out a little on the flat side, but they were significantly better and softer than anything else I've managed to come up with.  They are delicious....so go ahead, Utahs, give it a try.

Toll House Style High Altitude Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup butter or margarine
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl, stir together the butter, white sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Mix in eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; stir into the batter just until blended, then mix in the chocolate chips so they are evenly distributed. Drop cookies by heaping teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets spacing 2 inches apart.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the edges begin to turn golden, 12 to 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

Fruit Pudding

Pudding Fruit Salad (yum!)

1 c seedless grapes
2 can drained chunked pineapple
2 can mandarin oranges
2-3 bananas
2 boxes vanilla instant pudding (3 oz size)
1 12 oz cool whip
2 c buttermilk

Mix pudding powder, cool whip, buttermilk. Add fruit. Chill. Delicious! Add a package
of crumbed fudge stripe cookies for an extra treat. You may also need to add more fruit
b/c it makes a lot of the pudding stuff.