Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes

Who doesn't love funfetti cake? My friend's son is turning 1 so I thought it would be fun to find a good homemade funfetti cake recipe. This recipe came from I Heart Cuppycakes. It really wasn't hard to make this without a box. I already had all the ingredients. The sprinkles melt while baking to give you the same colored dots in the cakes.

The icing was just as easy and really yummy! The recipe tells you to start with 5 cups of sifted powdered sugar and then add more to get your desired consistency. I think I ended up using just under 6 cups. The cake recipe made 12 cupcakes but the icing recipe (depending on how much icing you like on each cupcake) could have iced more than 12 cupcakes, probably about 18 cupcakes. Overall these cupcakes were delicious! It didn't taste exactly like boxed funfetti cake but I think it was better. It had more of a buttery flavor.

For Cupcakes:

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups AP flour
• 1-1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 6 tbsp butter, room temperature
• 1 large egg + 1 egg white, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 tbsp rainbow sprinkles

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line cupcake pan with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a stand mixer, fitted with flat beater, beat the sugar and butter until well combined, about 2-3 minutes. Add egg and egg white, one at a time, beating on low. Then add vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with milk in 2 additions, ending with the flour mixture. Fold in rainbow sprinkles.
4. Fill cupcake liners about 1/2-2/3 full. Bake for about 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire cooling rack before frosting.

 For Buttercream:

Ingredients

• 2 sticks butter
• 7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions

1. In a stand mixer, fitted with flat beater, beat butter until creamy, about 2-3 minutes. Add 5 cups of sifted powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla, beat until combined. Add more powdered sugar until you get to the consistency desired.
2. Frost cupcakes and garnish with more rainbow sprinkles.

Source: I Heart Cuppycakes

Oatmeal Crusted Tilapia

YUM! This recipe was so good! Originally, the recipe called for mayonnaise, but I decided to use non-fat plain yogurt so it would be a little healthier. This was so easy to prepare, had great flavor, and I felt good eating it. We will definitely be making this again.

Ingredients

• 2 whole Tilapia Fillets
• 1 cup Quick Oats
• 2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Panko Bread Crumbs
• 2 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Fresh Chives, Chopped
• 1 teaspoon Parsley
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1/8 cup Low-fat Plain Yogurt
• 1/4 teaspoons Grated Lemon Rind
• 1/4 teaspoon Lemon Juice

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Place fish fillets on the baking sheet.
3. In a bowl, mix together oats, panko bread crumbs, grated Parmesan, chives, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, measure out the yogurt. Add lemon rind and juice. Stir.
4. Brush tops of fish with yogurt mixture, then top with the dry coating.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until fish flakes when forked. 

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Roasted Green Beans

I love roasted veggies!  Not only are they incredibly easy to make, they taste so good! I probably make some type of roasted veggie a week or at least every other week. This week I made just a simple roasted green bean. They get all caramelized and yummy.

Ingredients

• 1 pound Green Beans, washed and trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Cover a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan with aluminum foil.
3. Drizzle green beans with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to evenly coat. Spread green beans into a single layer.
4. Roast for about 20 minutes, stirring part way through. The green beans should be lightly caramelized and crisp tender.

Steel Cut Oats

I've been seeing so many people eating steel cut oats. I'm not really a fan of oatmeal (unless covered in sugar and cinnamon) so I never really wanted to try the steel cut oats. However, Matt and I are trying to be more aware of what we're eating and to eat a little healthier. So I decided to give them a try. I read somewhere that you can make steel cut oats in advance, refrigerate them, and then reheat them for breakfast with a splash of milk. As someone who doesn't like regular oatmeal, I actually liked these. They are chewier and have a nuttier flavor. One thing I will say is I'd prefer them to be a little sweeter so I add just a little brown sugar before eating. You can top this with cinnamon, fruit, almonds etc.

Ingredients

• 1 cup steel cut oats
• 3 1/2 cups water
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Cinnamon, fruit, almonds, or whatever toppings you like

Directions

1. Bring the water to a boil in a large pot. Add the steel cut oats and and salt.  Stir.
2. Reduce the heat to medium low and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. When the oats start to thicken, at about 30 minutes, add in the milk and vanilla. Stir the oats,  milk, and vanilla together and cook for ten more minutes.
4. Add whatever toppings you want.
5. Serve the oats hot. This makes 4-6 servings. To reheat, add a splash of milk and reheat in the microwave for 1-2 minute.

Source: Two Peas and Their Pod

Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork

I found this recipe on Tasty Kitchen. It sounded so different and I was intrigued. Dr. Pepper is one of the only sodas that I drink so I figured it had to be good, right? I also thought the homemade coleslaw on the sandwich just sounded different from our normal and really good.

The original recipe said to cook the pork in Dr. Pepper and then towards the end of the cooking you're supposed to drain the juices and add a little bbq sauce. At the point in time where I was supposed to add drain the juices and add the bbq sauce, I tried a bite. The flavor was so good that I just couldn't cover it up with bbq sauce. I still made the coleslaw but I served it separate instead of on the sandwich. I loved this meal. The pork had really great flavor. It had a sweetness from the Dr. Pepper, a little tang from the vinegar, and a kick with the cayenne pepper. Delicious!

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds Pork Tenderloin
• 1/4 whole Large Onion, Chopped
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Dry Ground Mustard
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cayenne Pepper
• 1/4 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
• 24 ounces, fluid Dr. Pepper (2 Cans)
• Hoagie Rolls, Split
• Butter, For Toasting

Directions

1. Place pork in a slow cooker. Add salt, pepper, onion, garlic, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and Dr. Pepper. Cook on low for 4 hours.
2. Check the pork for tenderness. Shred with the tines of 2 forks. Continue cooking, covered, for 2 hours.
3. Preheat broiler on low. Spread butter across split hoagie rolls. Broil for 3-4 minutes, or until desired toast level is reached. Make sandwiches and serve. (The sandwiches are even better when you add some of the juice to it!)

Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Homemade Coleslaw

I made this coleslaw to serve on my Dr. Pepper Shredded Pork Sandwich. However, after trying the pork, I decided to just serve it as a side instead of on the sandwich.  I also omitted the relish. This was good, a little different than other coleslaw's that I've had. Honestly, I'm not a huge coleslaw fan so I didn't find it amazing. But it was good.

Ingredients

• 1 bag Shredded Cabbage
• 1/3 cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper
• 2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

Directions

1. Whisk together vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper. Combine cabbage, vinegar, and mayonnaise. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 Adapted from Tasty Kitchen

Shrimp and Avocado Ceviche

It's been really warm lately and I just wanted to make something light and fresh. I happened to have shrimp already so I thought a shrimp ceviche would be perfect. Typically ceviche is made with raw shrimp or fish. The citrus in the dish "cooks" the shrimp. I felt more comfortable cooking the shrimp first. I boiled the shrimp for just a couple of minutes and then put it right into an ice bath.

This recipe is delicious! Matt loved it. I served it with tortilla chips to scoop it up. It seemed more like an appetizer than a meal, so in the future I may use tostadas. This would be a great dish to serve at a picnic or potluck.

Ingredients

• 1 pounds large shrimp - peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup fresh lime juice plus juice of 1 lime
• 4 roma (plum) tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ketchup
• 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or to your liking)
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced
• tortilla chips or tostada

Directions

1. Bring water to a boil. Add the juice of 1 lime and shrimp. Cook shrimp for 2-3 minutes until fully cooked. Drain and add shrimp to an ice water bath. Let sit for about 10 minutes.
2. In a large bowl, combine lime juice, shrimp, tomatoes, onion, and cilanto. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
3. Remove from the refrigerator, and mix in the Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, hot sauce, salt and pepper.
4. Right before serving, add the avocado. Serve either with tortilla chips or tostadas.

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

Baked Lemon Chicken with Mushroom Sauce

I came across this recipe on Allrecipes.com and it just sounded really fresh. The recipe is really easy and tasted really good. The mushroom sauce is really good as it mixes with the lemons. I'll definitely make this again.

 Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts
• Cooking oil spray
• 2 lemons
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 cups fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C). Spray baking dish with cooking spray. Place the chicken breasts in the dish, and spray tops with cooking spray. Squeeze the juice of 1 lemon over all. Slice the other lemon and place a lemon slice on top of each chicken piece. Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes until brown.
2. In a large skillet, melt the 1/4 cup butter or margarine. Add the sliced mushrooms. Cook and stir until the mushrooms are brown and have exuded their juices, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle with the flour and blend. Add the chicken broth, stirring to make a medium thick sauce. Allow to reduce, adjusting with a little more broth to make a creamy sauce. Add fresh parsley at the last minute. Spoon the sauce over the lemon baked chicken breasts. 

Source: Allrecipes.com

Crispy Parmesan Asparagus

Last week I made Crispy Yogurt Chicken and believe it or not it was my first time trying panko breadcrumbs. I loved it! So when I saw these Crispy Parmesan Asparagus using panko breadcrumbs from How Sweet It Is I had to give it a try. Before I go on, I have to admit that I do not like any kind of cheese crackers. To me, this tasted like I crushed up cheese crackers and used them to crust the asparagus so I didn't like it. However, for a normal person, this is probably pretty good.  Matt liked it, but he liked it better when he squeezed a little lemon juice on them.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch of asparagus
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with alluminum foil. Spray with non-stick spray.
2. Snap off the tough ends of each asparagus spear. On two separate plates, add the eggs whites (lightly beaten) and the panko, flour, and cheese. Season the panko mixture with salt and pepper if desired. Coat each asparagus spear in egg whites, then lay in the panko mixture and thoroughly cover. Lay each spear on the cookie sheet in a single layer.
3. Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

Source: How Sweet It Is

S'mores Cookies

I've seen this recipe on so many food blogs and decided it was about time to give it a try. I think the original recipe is from Cookie Madness but I got an adapted recipe from Sweet Tooth. These cookies are delicious!!  I actually took them to my doctor's office and I overhead some people say they were the best cookies they've had. I just love the gooey marshmallows. YUM!

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup graham cracker crumbs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups mini chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows, or large ones cut up
• 2 Hershey bars, chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. With an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla to butter mixture until combined.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, graham crackers, salt, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the chocolate chips.
4. Use 2 tablespoons or a medium-sized ice cream scoop to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto cookie sheets. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from oven. Push a few marshmallows and pieces of chocolate into each cookie and return to the oven to bake an additional 3-4 minutes. Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Recipe yields about 3 dozen cookies. Source: Sweet Tooth and Cookie Madness.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

My go-to recipe for chocolate chip cookies has been Alton Brown's Chewy Chocolate Chip cookie. But I've been coming across this recipe on Allrecipes for awhile now and I finally decided to give it a try. It is delicious! They are still chewy even the next day. The recipe doesn't say to refrigerate but I did because some of the reviews said they had better luck when they refrigerated the dough. I also used a mixture of milk chocolate chips and semi sweet chocolate chip cookies. These were delicious!


Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup milk chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon.
4. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. (I actually used a medium ice cream scoop.) Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
5. Bake for 14 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

Made about 36 cookies. Source: Allrecipes.com

Green Beans with Panko Crumbs

I wanted a quick side to go with my Crispy Yogurt Chicken.  So I decided on roasted green beans. They're quick, easy, and good.  I added some panko bread crumbs to add a little crunch.

Ingredients

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste
• 1 Tablespoon panko bread crumbs

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil.
2. In a bowl, toss the green beans with olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Spread out on foil lined cookie sheet. Top with panko bread crumbs.
3. Bake, stirring once partway through, 12-15 minutes until lightly caramelized.

Crispy Yogurt Chicken

I've really been in the mood to bake lately, but have been totally not inspired to cook. I've gone through tons of cooking blogs trying to find recipes that sound interesting and yet quick. I came across a blog called Erin's Eats, how appropriate, and she had made a Pioneer Woman's recipe for Crispy Yogurt Chicken. It sounded good, quick, and somewhat healthy. I'm glad I tried the recipe. The chicken came out crispy and delicious.  The lemony yogurt mixture gave it a nice tang. I didn't add very much cayenne pepper but next time I might kick it up a notch. I'll definitely be using this recipe again. I was in a rush last night and didn't get a chance to take a picture. Sorry!

Ingredients

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts or tenders
• 6 ounces plain, unflavored yogurt
• 2-3 garlic cloves, pressed
• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 1 cup of panko bread crumbs (approximately)
• cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
• Cooking spray

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 365 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. Spray the cookie sheet with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper. Add the chicken breasts and stir to coat the chicken. Put the chicken in the fridge and let it marinate for 20-30 minutes.
3. In a shallow dish, combine the panko, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to your taste . Carefully dip the chicken breasts into the panko mixture to coat. Place the chicken on the cookie sheet and spray the top with cooking spray. Bake about 20-30 minutes or until done.

Sources: Pioneer Woman and Erin's Eats

Applesauce Muffins

I've really been in the mood to bake the past couple of days. I had been looking all over for a muffin recipe that caught my eye. I came across this recipe on All Recipes and since I already had some applesauce in my fridge, I figured I'd give it a try. I made it last night and was so anxious to try it that I dug in as soon as they came out of the oven. At first I was a little disappointed. I thought it was kind of bland. But this morning I ate one for breakfast and quickly changed my mind. These are best room temperature. You can really taste the cinnamon and allspice. I changed the recipe only slightly. I love brown sugar so I used 1/2 white and 1/2 brown sugar. I also topped the muffins before baking with a little brown sugar. I love the brown sugar topping. This recipe was really easy and I'll definitely make them again.


Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 eggs
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. In a bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, allspice and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs, applesauce and vanilla; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.
3. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until muffins test done. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove to a wire rack.

Makes 12 muffins. Adapted from All Recipes.

Greek Omelet

I don't typically think about making breakfast for dinner. I'm not sure why. But I was in the mood for something a little different this week. When I came across this recipe on Eating Well, I knew I'd have to give it a try. Eggs and potatoes together, yum!  The recipe says it's Greek, but I'm not sure what makes it Greek other than the feta. I debated adding spinach or tomatoes but in the end I kept the recipe as is. The recipe calls for hashbrowns which make me think patties but I used shredded potatoes because I like them better. This was really easy to make and had great flavor. I did feel like it was missing a little something but I wasn't sure what, maybe just a little extra feta.  I'll definitely be making this again.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 cup shredded potatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped scallions
• 4 large eggs
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and cook, shaking the pan and tossing the potatoes, until golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Add scallions and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the pan.
2. Blend eggs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in feta and the potato mixture.
3. Preheat broiler. Brush the pan with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil; heat over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and tilt to distribute evenly. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook until the bottom is light golden, lifting the the edges to allow uncooked egg to flow underneath, 3 to 4 minutes. Place the pan under the broiler and cook until the top is set, 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Slide the omelet onto a plate and cut into wedges.

Serves 2. Source Eating Well.

Island Chicken and Rice

Several weeks ago I found these recipes from Annies Eats for Island Chicken and Brown Rice with Black Beans. The recipe was great but I haven't had time to post about it since then.  The chicken had great flavor and both recipes were really easy to make.

Island Chicken

Ingredients

• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 3 Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1½ Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2-4 chicken breasts

Directions

1. Combine all ingredients except chicken in a mixing bowl or large airtight plastic bag.  Whisk or shake well until the marinade is well mixed.  Add the chicken breasts to the bowl or plastic bag so that they are covered by the marinade.  If using a bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap.  If using a plastic bag, press out all the excess air and seal the bag tightly.  Refrigerate and marinate up to 10 hours.
2. Preheat the oven to 350° F.  Place the chicken breasts in a baking dish and pour the excess marinade over them.  Bake in the oven until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Source: Annie's Eats

Brown Rice with Black Beans

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 cup onion, chopped fine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
• 2¼ cups water
• 1½ cups long-grain brown rice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1-2 (15 oz.) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• ¾ cup corn kernels (fresh from cob, or frozen and thawed)
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.  Adjust an oven rack to the middle position.  Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned and tender, about 12-14 minutes.  Stir in the garlic and cook just until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
2. Add the chicken broth and water to the pan.  Bring the mixture to a boil.  Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the rice and salt, and cover.  Bake until the rice is tender, 65-70 minutes.
3. Remove the pot from the oven and uncover.  Fluff the rice with a fork, stir in the beans and corn, and replace the lid.  Let stand for 5 minutes.  Mix in the cilantro and black pepper.  Serve.

Source: Annie's Eats