Carrot Cake Muffin Bars {for April's SRC}

Do you ever enter into someone's home and feel like you never want to leave?  You know that kind of home that is just so beautiful and welcoming that you just want to wrap all the comfort it gives out around you.  I always feel like this when I go to my mom and dad's house.   This month when I opened up my assigned food blog to Eat, Live, Run from the Secret Recipe Club I immediately felt like I never wanted to leave! Just like I feel when I enter into the happiness, warmth and beauty of my parent's home.  Everything about Jenna's blog is just full of lovliness and delicious-ness.  Her recipes are completely beautiful along with the way she presents and describes them.  And then of course the reality that last Fall Jenna released a novel called, White Jacket Required - which by the way has been on my wish list over at amazon.com - I felt even more compelled to just tuck myself into one of the corners of her kitchen just so that I could soak up ALL the amaziness, knowledge and love of food that she has.   I don't think she would mind, do you?

 

 

 Instead of stealing away into Jenna's kitchen I settled for making one of her recipes.  I made her Carrot Cake Muffin Bars.  Deelish!  A bar that has many of the ingredients that are in a carrot cake is a dream come true for me.  Shredded carrots, raisins (my addition), walnuts and then of course oats all come together to make one fantabulous little treat.  You could enjoy this bar at breakfast, lunch, tea or dessert.  Personally I enjoyed nibbles and bites of these bars ALL. DAY. LONG.  Hey, sometimes that is just what you've got to do.  You can't waste a good thing!  But, you can SHARE a good thing right!? Thus I share with you the recipe to Jenna's Carrot Cake Muffin Bars .

 

 

 

Carrot Cake Muffin Bars
              (recipe from Eat, Live, Run )

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
1/4 milk
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup oats - old fashioned or quick
1 cup grated carrot (2 medium or 1 large carrot)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup raisins (my addition)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x9 square pan and set aside.

2. In a large bowl whisk together dry ingredients of flour, salt, baking powder and oats. Set bowl aside.

3. Cream together butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy.  Add in egg and beat well until smooth.  Add in milk slowly while mixer is on low speed.  Then add in dry ingredients. Mix all together to combine.

4. Add in grated carrots, walnuts and raisins (if you wish).  Mix until just combined. 

5. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes. Edges of the bars will be come away from the sides of the pan and the center will not jiggle if gently touched when done.

Cool to desired temp, cut, serve and enjoy!

Happy Carrot Cake Muffin Bar Baking!

FRESH Strawberry Crumble Cake

 



 

Strawberries have always been one of my all time favorite fruit.  They are beautiful.  They are RED.  And they are delicious....most of the time.  Lately the fresh strawberries in the market are definitely a beautiful red but their flavor is lacking in sweetness and are often quite tart.  In an effort to not waste the beautiful strawberries I had I decided to bake them into a cake.  I did a little search and research on the web and came up with a lovely recipe that fit my needs fully.  A simple cake that called for FRESH strawberries and tasted wonderful.  What more could I ask for! 

 

 

 

 

I was completely delighted with how easy this cake was to whip together.  Simple ingredients along with just a pie plate was all that is required to accomplish this recipe.  In the end you will have a beautiful cake that can be served anytime of the day.   My family enjoyed a slice for breakfast, as an afternoon snack for my girls, it paired lovely with a hot cup of afternoon tea for me and then of course served along side a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream was also just perfect!

 

 

FRESH Strawberry Crumble Cake

(recipe discovered on Feathered Nest Studio which was then linked to Southern Food about.com)

 

Cake Ingredients:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1 egg

2 Tbsp melted butter

1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced

 

Crumble ingredients:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup COLD butter, cut into small cubes

1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional...I did not use nuts)

 

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Grease well a glass or ceramic pie plate (an 8x8 square baking pan would be fine too) and set aside.

 

2. In a large bowl sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  Whisk well all together.

 

3. Add in egg, milk and melted 2 Tbsp of butter to flour mixture.  Beat all together for 2 minutes and then pour and spread evenly into prepared pie plate.

 

4. Arrange sliced strawberries on top of cake batter.

 

5. Make crumble topping by adding together in a medium size bowl flour and sugar.  Add in COLD cubed butter. Cut into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or with your fingers until mixture becomes small coarse crumbs.  If using chopped nuts add in now.  Sprinkle crumble topping evenly over sliced strawberries.

 

6.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until edges of cake are a nice golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean if inserted into center of cake. Cool cake to desired temperature and serve.

 

YUM!

 

 

Happy FRESH Strawberry Crumble Cake Baking!

 

 

Here are a few other recipes that call for STRAWBERRIES on my blog...

*Decadent Vanilla Layered Cake with Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting

*Strawberry Swirl Blondies

*Strawberry Shortcake Cake

*Strawberry Shortcake Scones

*EASY Strawberry Cake

*Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

*Strawberry Coffee Cake

 

 This recipe has been linked up to What's Cookin' Wednesday @ Buns In My Oven

 

Banana, PB &Jelly Breakfast Shake (for March SRC)

 

 

Ahhhh the beauty of a shake! There is nothing better than a cold frosty shake in my book. Especially one that is delicious and healthy! YUM.  They are wonderful as you can load up your blender with lots of healthy ingredients and create a delicious and portable drink.  Kiddos love them.  Adults love them.  Shakes are simply the greatest!  

 

 

This little beauty of a shake I recently discovered on a treasure of a blog called, Our Table for 7.  I was assigned Erin's blog for March's Secret Recipe Club.  I couldn't have been more delighted for such an opportunity! ALL of Erin's recipes that she shares on her blog are full of amazing yumminess.  ALL. Of. Them!!   I have pinned a number of her recipes to try ASAP.  Not to worry, I will post them here on my blog to share with all of you.  I look forward to trying her Crockpot Potato Soup as I have tons of potatoes left over from St. Paddy's Day.  I also want to make her Brownie Batter Pancakes - my girls will go gaga over them!!  And then of course her Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Bars are right up my alley.

 

 

I have spent a lot of time reading through Our Table for 7 and I can tell that she puts just as much care and attention to her blog as she does with all of her lovely kiddos.  She has a deep devotion and dedication to feeding her family and friends delicious food.  I can't thank her enough for all the time and energy that she puts into it.  :-)

 

 

Banana, PB & Jelly Breakfast Shake

                                    (recipe from Our Table for 7)

                        *This recipe makes enough for 2-3 servings

 

Ingredients:

 

1 large banana

2 cups COLD milk

1 Tbsp PB

1 Tbsp jam/jelly of your choice (I used strawberry jam)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

3-4 ice cubes (my addition)

 

Directions:

 

1. Add all ingredients into blender and mix/pulse for about 30 seconds to 1 minute or until smooth.

 

2. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

 

 



 

Happy Banana, PB & Jelly Breakfast Shake Making!



Glazed Maple Cinnamon Quick Bread

 

I treasure having the opportunity of expressing and sharing some of my passions in life with others.  Especially when it comes to baking and my life in the kitchen.  Baking is in a sense "food for my soul." It makes me happy.  It makes me sane.  It makes me whole.  It makes ME who I am. 

 

 

As much as I love the opportunity to bake I also LOVE to share what I bake.  It helps my mid-line some what under control and it provides me the delightful experience of giving to others.   Today I want to share with all of you a fabulous recipe that I recently discovered from one of my all time favorite food blogs, Buns In My Oven.  I have made many, many recipes from Karly's blog.  She never disappoints with all of her scrumptious creations.  This recipe that I honor today almost put me over the edge with baking happiness as it contains many of my most favorite ingredients.  PURE maple syrup for one and then of course the addition of browned butter is completely brilliant! Maple syrup and browned butter in one recipe allows for magical and rich yumminess. The last step in this recipe calls for the addition of COLD butter pieces that have been carefully coated with ground cinnamon into the bread batter allowing for little bursts of precious cinnamon all throughout the bread.  Perrrrrfection! Complete perfection.  And then of course having buckets of sugary smooth glaze drizzled all over the top of the bread (with plenty of left over for your spreading pleasure on individual slices) completely tops off (literally and deliciously) the amazing bread.

 

Make. This. Bread.  PLEASE!!!!

 

 

Glazed Maple Cinnamon Quick Bread

(Recipe from the adorable and scrumptious,  Buns In My Oven)

 

Ingredients:

For the bread:

2 1/4 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pure maple syrup

1 cup buttermilk

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup browned butter

1/4 cup COLD butter, cubed

1 Tbsp ground cinnamon

For the glaze:

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup heavy cream (or half and half which is what I used)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp imitation maple syrup flavoring (my own addition as I wanted the glaze to taste of maple syrup too)

1/4 tsp salt

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9x5 loaf pan and set aside.

 

2. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt in a large bowl.

 

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, buttermilk, eggs and vanilla extract.  Slowly whisk in browned butter.

 

4. Combine wet ingredients with dry. Mix just until combined.

 

5. In a small bowl combine COLD butter pieces and 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon. Gently fold in coated butter pieces into the batter.

 

6. Pour batter into prepared bread loaf pan and bake for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the bread comes out clean.

 

7. Make glaze while bread is baking by whisking together all glaze ingredients in a medium bowl.  If necessary add in a little bit more sugar or cream to reach desired consistency. Drizzle glaze over completely cooled bread.  You will have extra glaze after pouring it over the top of the bread.  Eat it by the spoonful or spread it onto bread slices....it should NOT go to waste!

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Happy Glazed Maple Cinnamon Bread Baking!

 

 



Cheesy Ham, Broccoli and Rice Skillet

Have you noticed a change around these parts? That's right there is some serious new cuteness on my blog!  I am just giddy with excitement over my look here at Baking and Creating with Avril!!! The fabulous Ashton from Something Swanky is the master mind behind my new look.  I can't thank her enough for all her help and talent that she has provided me.  I highly, highly recommend her services.  And to boot she is an AMAAAAZING baker too! Please do go check out her yummies and then you must check out her artistic creations too!

 

 

Speaking of changes, today instead of a recipe that is sweet and requires baking I've got a savory recipe for you.  That's right nothing baked.  No sugar or flour involved.  Not even a tiny bit of vanilla extract.  Just a simple, delicious and savory dish that will knock your socks off.

 

 

All this dish requires is a large skillet with a lid that can contain all the ingredients.  And then of course some rice (white or brown is just fine), a couple of cooked ham steaks and a couple small heads of broccoli.  All of the other ingredients can most likely be found in your pantry and fridge such as chicken broth and some grated cheese.

 

 

 

Now Easter is just around the corner - the end of this month in fact - and most likely there will be LOTS of good deals out there for ham.  Make sure you grab some or save some from your left-overs and make this recipe.  It's super easy and SUPER yummy!!

 

Cheesy Ham, Broccoli and Rice Skillet

(recipe from the fabulous Karly from Buns In My Oven)

 

Ingredients:

 

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup long-grain rice

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

2 small heads fresh broccoli, cut into bite size pieces

2 Tbsp butter

3 cups cooked and diced ham, hot (warm up in microwave before adding into skillet)

1 cup sharp cheddar cheese (or a mixture of cheese of your liking...I used 1/2 parm cheese and 1/2 cheddar cheese)

1/2 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper,  to taste

splash of milk, if needed

 

 

Directions:

 

1. Place large skillet over medium heat.  Drizzle olive oil into pan and then pour in rice.  Stir to coat.  Cook rice until toasted and light brown, stirring often so that the rice doesn't burn.

 

2. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Lower heat to low and cover.  Cook covered for 10 minutes.  Add in cut up broccoli and cook covered for an additional 5-10 minutes or until liquid has been cooked down.

 

3. Take skillet off of heat and add in butter, ham, cheese and garlic powder. Stir well to combine and then cover for 5 minutes more.  Add in S and P to taste just before serving.

 

Serve, enjoy and rejoice over a simple and delicious meal!

 

Happy Cheesy Ham, Broccoli and Rice Skillet Making!

 

 



Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soon the month of February will be ending.  We will enter into March and be that much closer to the season of Spring here in New England.  This reality makes my heart happy!  I completely LOVE spring time.  I love the newness, the gentle greenness, the fresh sweet smells and all the precious new beginnings that often come with Spring. 

 

 

Just as much as I adore Spring I love a good cookie recipe.  I think it has to with being a mom as my girls live for cookies!  Especially chocolate chip cookies. 

I thank the lovely Emily from Life on Food for sharing this cookie recipe that I share with all of you today. I discovered Life on Food  through my February assignment for February's Secret Recipe Club.  I had a wonderful time browsing through Emily's blog to pick the recipe I would make.  I really did try and find a recipe that wasn't sweet or baked.  I wanted to prove to all of you that I do in fact make things that are not baked. Such recipes that don't have sugar and butter in the them but rather veggies, pasta or even tomato sauce.  Unfortunately, the jar of Cookie Butter (that can be purchased at Trader Joe's) that was in my pantry had to be used.  Yes, it had to be used or else it would continue to be snuck out for a finger lick here and a finger there.  So yes, I followed my heart and my usual path of happiness and baked up a batch of Cookie Batter Chocolate Chip Cookies.  The original recipe from Life on Food is actually called, Biscoff Chocolate Chip Cookies but because of the necessity of my need to use the Cookie Butter I substituted the CB for the Biscoff. It worked out just perfect.  The cookies were soft.  The cookies were perfectly sweet with the hint of spice and richness that came from the Cookie Butter.  I was completely delighted with this recipe.  A definite recipe to be repeated!

 

 

 

 

Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

           ( slightly adapted recipe from Life on Food )

 

Ingredients:

 

1 stick (8oz.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup Cookie Butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 egg, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup rolled oats

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup chocolate chips

 

Directions:

 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

 

2. Cream together butter, Cookie Butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add in egg and vanilla extract.  Mix well all together.

 

3. In a large bowl whisk together flour, oats, baking soda, baking powder and salt.  Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture.  Stir in chocolate chips.

 

4. Scoop out balls of batter onto prepared cookie sheets.  Slightly flatten with the bottom of a flour dusted glass if you wish.

 

5. Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes depending on what size your cookies are.  I made pretty big cookies so it took closer to 12 minutes.

 

6. Allow cookies to cool for as long as you wish and enjoy! Store in a large sealed bag or container.

 

Yum!

 

 

 



Happy Cookie Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie Baking!

This recipe has been linked up to Inside BruCrew Life for Trick or Treat Tuesday!

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

 

 

I really did think I had seen it all when it comes to baking with bananas.  I have made dozens and dozens of banana breads! Such as Blond Banana Bread and Raisin Banana Bread.  I have baked cupcakes with bananas, muffins, coffee cake and bundt cakes too.  I have even made luscious banana desserts layered with creamy whipped cream and tender cookies.  But, I have yet to bake scones with bananas.  That is until just recently.  My baking world has since been shaken with happiness with discovery of this recipe of these amazing scones.

 

 

 

The scones themselves are not too sweet and have the lovely existence of a moist banana bread texture.  The brown sugar glaze that is poured on top is completely outstanding and brilliant.  I'm sorry but you truly can not make these scones without the presence of the glaze.  It just would not be fair to your taste buds.  I telling you do NOT skimp on the glaze and leave it out of this recipe.  You will highly regret it if you do.  End of story.
 

 

 

Go ahead and grab those precious ripe bananas and whip up this recipe.  You will be so glad you did.

 

Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze

(recipe discovered from the oh, so talented food blog of Cinnamon Spice and Everything Nice)

 

 

Scone Batter Ingredients:

2 large, ripe bananas - to equal about 1 cup mashed (I used 3 small)

4 Tbsp milk

1/2 cup plain yogurt or sour cream

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups flour

4 Tbsp granulated sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

4 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

1/2 cup chopped walnuts - optional

 

 

Glaze Ingredients:

1 Tbsp salted butter

2 Tbsp milk

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1/4-1/2 cup confectioner's sugar

raw sugar for sprinkling over top of scones

 

Directions:

1. Mash bananas and if needed add in enough milk (from the 4 Tbsp's) to equal 1 cup.  Stir in milk, yogurt/sour cream and vanilla extract to mashed bananas.  Set mixture aside.

 

2. In a large bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and ground cinnamon. Add in butter pieces using a fork, pastry cutter or your finger tips until butter pieces are not bigger than the size of a pea. 

 

3. Add banana mixture into dry mixture.  Stir just until all of flour has been combined. Stir in chopped walnuts at this point if using them.

 

4. Place a piece of parchment paper over large dinner plate and then form scone dough into a disk on top.  The disk of dough should be at least 1" thick. Cover dough with another piece of parchment paper.  Place in freezer for 30 minutes.

 

5. Heat oven to 400 degrees F.  Flip scone dough onto a cookie sheet with the top piece of parchment paper being the lining of the cookie sheet. Peel off the second layer of parchment paper. Slice 8 wedges from the scone disk - pull them slightly apart to give them some room to expand.

 

6.  Bake for 25-27 minutes, until scones are firm to the touch and have light golden brown edges.  Cool completely and cut apart any scones that baked together.

 

7. Make glaze by melting butter and milk together in a large glass measuring cup in microwave for 30 seconds.  Add in brown sugar and vanilla extract.  Stir well to combine.  If needed microwave mixture an additional 30 seconds to allow for sugar to melt completely into butter/milk.   Whisk in confectioner's sugar - 1/4 cup at a time until you reach your desired consistency of a thick glaze. Pour glaze over scones and then sprinkle with raw sugar if desired.  Serve and enjoy!

 

 



 

 

Happy Banana Bread Scones with Brown Sugar Glaze Baking!