Avocado Basil Pesto

When I was in 3rd grade, I got 3rd place in a spelling bee contest.  I remember, I lost on the word “calendar.”  I spelled it with an e instead of an a: “calender.”

I cried.  Isn’t that silly?  I should have been happy that I got 3rd place, but I cried.  I didn’t feel so bad anymore, though, when the boy who got 2nd ran to the corner of the gym and started bawling.

I guess the moral of this story is…well, I’m a pretty good speller but there are a few words that trip me up.  Avocado, for example.  I want to spell it “avacado” every. single. time.  Those vowels man, I tell you what.

Anyway, I just felt it necessary that I tell you guys that story.

I don’t care how you spell avocado, all I know is that you should make this pesto.  It seriously takes 5 minutes to make, and if you put it on pasta, you’ll have a healthy and delicious dinner served up in 20 minutes flat.  Do it.

What words do you have trouble spelling?

 

Avocado Basil Pesto
From: A Cozy Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 2 teaspoons garlic salt
• 1 teaspoon sliced almonds
• 1 lemon, for zest and juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 medium avocado

Directions:

1. In a food processor or blender, add the basil, garlic salt, almonds, zest from 1/2 of the lemon, juice from the whole lemon, salt and pepper.
2. Blend until chopped, scraping down the sides, if need be.
3. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil and blend until smooth.
4. Add the avocado and blend once more. If the mixture is a bit too thick (mine was), add a few tablespoons of water and blend one last time.

No Cook White Chocolate Biscoff Cinnamon Ice Cream

You know how I told you I’m obsessed with making ice cream right now?

Well, I kind of went overboard with the additions.  First, I was just going to make cinnamon ice cream and then I thought, “Why not add Biscoff Spread…and some white chocolate?”

So, I did it.  I don’t regret it.  It’s super sweet and you can probably only eat a little bit at a time (if you’re lame) but it’s really, really good.  If you like Biscoff spread, cinnamon, ice cream, and white chocolate, there’s no doubt you’ll like this ice cream.

Have you had Biscoff Spread or TJ’s Cookie Butter?  Do you like it? I’m obsessed with it!

 

White Chocolate Biscoff Cinnamon Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• ½ cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
• 1 cup milk of choice
• Dash of salt
• ½ Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon creamer of choice
• 2 squares melted vanilla almond bark
• 1/3 cup melted Biscoff Spread

Directions:

1. Combine sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, milk, creamer, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
2. Mix well and add to ice cream maker, following the makers instructions.
3. While the ice cream is churning, slowly pour in melted Biscoff spread, followed by the melted almond bark.
4. Continue to churn until finished. Freeze and enjoy!

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

I spend a lot of time trying to come up with new and creative recipes.

But ya know what, sometimes I just want a simple chocolate chip cookie.

That’s what these are.  Simple chocolate chip cookies in a pan.

What’s your go to chocolate chip cookie recipe?

Simple Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars
Adapted from:King Arthur Flour

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks, 8 ounces) unsalted butter, very soft
• 1 cup (7 1/2 ounces) packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (5 1/4 ounces) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 3/4 cups (11 5/8 ounces) All-Purpose Flour
• 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Place the very soft butter in a medium-large mixing bowl. Add the sugars, salt, vanilla, and stir well.
3. Add the egg and stir until well blended.
4. Add the baking soda and flour, mixing until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Place dough in a well oiled 9×13 inch pan (smaller for thicker cookies) and spread out evenly.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned.
7. Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool.  Cut into squares and enjoy!

Homemade Wendy’s “Frosty” – Chocolate Frozen Yogurt

I’m obsessed with making ice cream right now.

I got my mom an ice cream maker last year for Mother’s Day and she’s never used it…. I might have had myself in mind when I bought this. But, before you start judging, she loves when I make her homemade ice cream.

Last summer, I only made ice cream a couple of times because it always turned out runny no matter how long I left it in the machine.  This year, though, I’ve figured out that if you keep the main piece of the machine in the freezer and never take it out, the ice cream thickens up super quickly.

So, since I’ve learned that trick (last week) I’ve made ice cream several times.  This chocolate ice cream/frozen yogurt tastes just like a chocolate Frosty.

Chocolate Frozen Yogurt
Adapted From: All Recipes

Ingredients:

• 1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 3 cups milk (I suggest full-fat milk, but any will work)
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• Dash of salt

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. (I added the cocoa powder while the ice cream was churning, but it really doesn’t matter when you add it).
2. Add ingredients to ice cream maker and follow the machines instructions.
3. Freeze and enjoy!
4. When I take mine out of the freezer, I like to put it in my KitchenAid and whip it up so it’s nice and creamy.

Strawberry Funfetti Cake-y Donuts

Sorry for the short hiatus.  I’ve been out of town.  Since I’m about to be a senior in college, none of my friends live at home anymore, so  I took a little trip to go visit one of them.

We are obviously very mature college seniors.

Anyway, a couple of weeks ago I was really craving donuts, but when you crave donuts at 8 pm you’re usually SOL.  This is one of the few times that baking as a hobby comes in handy.

I’m not really sure what I was thinking with this donuts because first, I tried to make them healthy with whole wheat flour, but then I ended up adding Funfetti cake mix.  I’m a confused person and I apologize.  Luckily confusion spawns yummy, cakey donuts.

To be honest, these just taste like cake in the form of donuts, but if it tempts you at all to make them, these are healthier than cake.  Plus, who doesn’t love cake?

What’s your favorite donut?

 

Strawberry Funfetti Cake-y Donuts
Adapted from: Chocolate and Carrots

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat
• 1 cup cake mix of choice
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tsp strawberry extract
• ½ cup strawberries, crushed

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Spray the donut pan with canola oil spray. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, combine the whole wheat flour, cake mix, sugar, and baking powder.
4. In another bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
5. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
6. Either spoon the batter into the pan or put the batter into a large ziplock (or pastry) bag and squeeze into the pan, filling about 2/3 full.
7. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom.
8. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for about 3 minutes before emptying out onto a cooling rack.

 

 

Banana Oatmeal Green Monster- Sneaky way to get veggies in your diet

I like vegetables, I really do.  BUT, if it weren’t for these green monsters, I would definitely not be eating enough.

If you’ve got a child who doesn’t eat his/her veggies (or you don’t) this is the perfect way around it.

I promise you, you can’t even taste the spinach in this.  If it helps, you could always close your eyes while you drink it. 😉

Your kids will probably think it’s cool.  Remember when Heinz came out with green ketchup?  I remember when it first came out, I was so excited and I just had to get some.   I felt pretty cool eating it.

 

This is the same concept… only a smoothie, not ketchup.

Don’t be scared, it’s just spinach.

Banana Oatmeal Green Monster

Ingredients:

• 1 frozen banana, cut into pieces
• 1 cup milk of choice
• 1 huge handful of spinach
• 1/2 cup oats
• Sweetener, to taste (I use Stevia)
• Ice cubes to desired consistency

Directions:

1.  Blend all ingredients in a blender.  Easy.

 

Cookie Dough Filled Chocolate Bread

What’s your favorite dessert?

Because, whatever it is, I guarantee this will be your new favorite.  I can’t tell you how good this bread is.  Honestly, it shouldn’t be called bread because it’s more like brownies and cookie dough.

The cookie dough part stays gooey because there’s no baking powder/soda or eggs.  The bread part is fudge-like.  Just try it…I promise you’ll like it.  I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves.

But really, what is your favorite dessert?

Cookie Dough Filled Chocolate Bread

Adapted from: Kavita’s Kitchen and Mrs. Regueiro’s Plate

Ingredients:

For the bread:

• ¾ cup flour
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup sour cream
• 1/8 cup olive oil
• ¼ cup chocolate chips
• Dash of salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• ¼ cup milk
• ¼ cup cocoa powder

For the cookie dough:

• ½ stick butter
• ¼ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cream
• ½ tsp vanilla
• ¾ cup flour
• Dash of salt
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
3. Add in sour cream and olive oil and stir them together.
4. Add in the rest of the liquids and fold in with the dry ingredients until it forms a smooth consistency.
5. Add in the chocolate chips.
6. Grease a bread pan and pour half of the in the mixture into it.
7. Prepare the cookie dough mixture. Cream together the sugar and the butters in the bowl of the stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Mix in the heavy cream and vanilla, and combine.
9. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
10. Spread on top of the first half of the chocolate bread batter.
11. Top cookie dough with the other half of the bread batter.
12. Bake in the preheated oven for an 40-45 minutes or until a tester inserted comes out clean.

5 Minute Mixed Berry Mug Bread

I know this bread is ugly, but give it a chance.  Apparently when you mix all the pretty colors of fruit, it makes ugly dishwater gray.  I should have learned that in elementary school.

When I saw banana bread in a mug over at Pass the Sushi, I knew I had to make it.  Mug cakes went viral recently, but not mug bread.  Pretty genius if you ask me!

This turned out really well considering it only took me 5 minutes to make.  My mom’s obsessed with it and I think it’s pretty good, too.

What’s your favorite mug recipe?

 

5 Minute Mixed Berry Mug Bread
Adapted from: Pass the Sushi

Ingredients:

3 tbs flour
1 tbs sugar
1 tbs brown sugar
Dash of salt
1 egg white
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1 tablespoon oil
¼ tsp strawberry extract
1 tablespoon milk
½ cup mixed berries

Directions:

1. Spray a microwave safe mug with cooking spray.
2. In a bowl, or right in the mug, whisk flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and soda.
3. Add egg white and combine until just incorporated with dry ingredients. Mix in strawberry extract, oil, milk and berries.
4. Pop into the microwave for up to 3 minutes, checking occasionally to see if it’s done…easy!

Overnight Fluffy and Moist Coffee Cake

I love Instagram…. love in the obsessive kind of way.

I’m constantly uploading pictures.  I could live without Facebook or Twitter, but Instagram is a different story.

I used to get on Facebook just to look at pictures people would post.  And I can hardly motivate myself to post a Twitter status.  But Instagram is just pictures, which is why I love it.  Plus, the filters are really cool.

Also, it makes my life look cooler than it actually probably is.  For example, I just posted a picture of the lake recently like I’m there every day… when, really, I was only there for a couple of days.  But hey, whateva.

I’m constantly posting pictures of food while I’m making it, so if you want to see what I’m baking before I post the recipe (like this one…lots of coffee cake pics on my Instagram), check it out on my Instagram.  My username is, you’ll never guess, whatkatiesbaking. Check it out!

Do you like Instagram?

 

Overnight Fluffy and Moist Coffee Cake
From: All Recipes

I’m sure you could make this without refrigerating overnight.

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
2. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda, nutmeg and salt; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Pour into a foiled and greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish.
4. In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, pecans and cinnamon; sprinkle over coffee cake. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
5. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
6. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Combine confectioners’ sugar and milk; drizzle over warm coffee cake.

Single Serving Cake Batter Popcorn

 

Every time I’m on foodgawker and I see sprinkles, I always click on the link.  It’s an instant reaction that I’m pretty sure I have no control over.

Cake batter is my favorite flavor (besides coconut) so I’m always trying to flavor things with cake batter.  Even Especially things that shouldn’t be cake batter flavored.  Most of the time it works out, but I will tell you that some things were not meant to be cake batter flavored.

Popcorn, on the other hand, is not one of those things.  I was a little weary when I got the idea, but I followed through with it and it worked.  I mean, why wouldn’t it?  Caramel corn is a thing… and now cake batter popcorn is a thing.   I bet Kernel’s Seasons next popcorn flavor will be Cake Batter.

This is seriously the easiest recipe ever, so nothings stopping you from making it… do it!

What’s your favorite popcorn flavor?

 

Single Serving Cake Batter Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 mini popcorn bag
1 tablespoon coconut oil or butter
2-3 tablespoons cake mix of your choice (I picked Funfetti.. it’s those sprinkles!)
Optional: sprinkles

Directions:

1. Melt butter or coconut oil in a small bowl or cup and stir in cake mix until combined.
2. Pop popcorn following instructions on the bag.
3. Pour cake mixture over popcorn, stir, and enjoy!