RECIPE : BAKED PUMPKIN DONUT HOLES

I made these baked donut holes for Halloween this weekend and since they turned out pretty good I thought I would share! I found a recipe online and made some minor changes (I forgot to save the link of course, sorry!) 

Here is what you need: 

1 3/4 c. Flour

1/2 tsp. Salt

1 Egg

2 tsp. Baking Powder

3/4 - 1 tsp. of Cinnamon

1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

1/2 tsp. Pumpkin Pie Spice

1/2 c. Brown Sugar (packed)

1/2 c/ Vegetable Oil

1/2 c. Milk (I used skim)

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

About half a can of pumpkin 

Preheat the oven to 350.  Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl (flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin pie spice).  In a separate bowl mix the oil, brown sugar, egg, milk, pumpkin, and vanilla extract.  Combine all ingredients together and mix until smooth. In a very well greased (I used coconut oil spray) mini muffin pan spoon the batter evenly.  Fill them about half way. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick in and pull it out clean.  Allow them to cool for a few minutes, while they are still warm you can mold them a bit to make them more round like donut holes. 

For the coating, melt a half stick of butter.  In a separate bowl mix a 1/2 cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Dip the donut holes in butter and lightly roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture.  The cinnamon sugar takes away a bit of the pumpkin flavor so I left some of them plain and they were still delicious!

Happy Baking! 

XO

EDIBLE GIFTS : LAVENDER SHORTBREAD COOKIES

I love making these lavendar cookies and at the request of Cami, I whipped up a batch these week to bring to her studio.  I haven't quite mastered these appearance wise, but they are definitely delicious.  I foresee more baked gifts in my near future, so stay tuned!

Lavender Shortbread Cookies: 

5/8 cup butter 

1/2 cup white sugar 

1 egg 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla 

1 tablespoon lavender flowers 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

(we've made this with substitutes to be gluten free and they still turned out great!) 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees 

Grease cookie sheets 

Cream together the butter and sugar

Beat the egg and blend it into the butter and sugar

Add vanilla, mix in lavender flowers, and the flour

Drop by taespoonfuls onto cookie sheets

Bake about 10 minutes or until golden

Remove to cooling racks and sprinkle with decorative sugar (optional)

LIGHTER CINNAMON WALNUT BANANA BREAD

Another experiment in the kitchen gone good.  Hunter loves banana bread, so when I found this recipe below, I knew I had to try it with my own spin.  It was perfect and delicious.  

Here's what you will need: 

• 2 cups flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1½ tablespoons honey
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ cup walnuts, chopped
• ⅓ cup vanilla greek yogurt
• 
  
• Glaze:
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon (I added a lot because I love it, but you can tone it down with a bit less)

1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 8.5 x 4.5 inch bread pan with foil and spray lightly with cooking spray. 
2. In medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and set aside. In another larger bowl cream together sugar and butter until creamy. Add mashed bananas and stir to combine. Mix in eggs, honey , vanilla, and greek yogurt. Add in the dry ingredients. Stir in Walnuts. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 35-40 minutes or until an inserted knife or toothpick comes out clean. Let cool. 
3. Mix together powdered sugar, milk, more cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf and top with extra crushed walnuts. 

adapted from this maple version here

ICED PUMPKIN SPICE COOKIES

I made these pumpkin spice cookies for the first time over the weekend...they were reallllllly good.  I can't even tell you how many Hunter ate.   I thought this recipe was a pretty perfect mix of spice and sweet, not one being more overpowering.  Before all things gingerbread starts taking over, whip up a batch of these babies, you won't regret it: 

You will need:

2 1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder 

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter, softened 

1 1/2 cups white sugar 

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

For the icing: 

2 cup confectioners sugar 

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt then set aside

2. Cream together butter and white sugar.  Then add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla to the mixture and beat until creamy.  Mix in dry ingredients.  Drop onto cookie sheet by tablespoonfuls and flatten slightly. 

3. Bake for 15-20 minutes.  Cool cookies than drizzle glaze with a fork. 

4.  To make the glaze: combine the confectioners sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla.  Add milk as needed for drizzling consistency. 

Happy Baking! 

BBQ GRILLED PEACH PIZZA

We are totally guilty of being huge pizza lovers, it's usually something we save for a splurge night or when we've simply been to busy to shop/cook and delivery is needed.  To me, it is extra amazing when you do have the time to make it homemade!  

For this, I buy the dough from the bakery section at the grocery store.  I used sweet baby ray's bbq sauce in place of your average tomato sauce.  I grilled peaches, cut corn off the cob, threw on lots of red onion and peppers, and covered it all with part skim mozzarella cheese.  Lots of garlic went on top of course!  Baked on 400 for about 30 minutes (depends on how crispy you want your crust) It was so easy to make and seriously delicious.