Pupcakes ... Happy 3rd birthday Khloe

This post is about 3 months late ... but I thought better late than never.  Khloe the pup turned 3 this year.  Time passes fast.

Seems like just yesterday I was taking home a little black and white pup home from the animal shelter.

This year is no exception from all the other birthdays.  Khloe the pup got toys, treats, and pup cake.

I wonder what goes though her head as we sing happy birthday to her.

Khloe the pup is always so serious when there is food involved.  It makes taking pictures so hard.

Oh how I love this fur ball.

I make her pup cake because in this economy it is hard to find a place that makes cakes for dogs anymore.  But with the internet and Pinterest it's not too hard finding a recipe.

Khloe the pup seems to really enjoy her pup cake.  Baking my own pup cakes also makes me feel good because I know what she is eating.

Not one crumb was left behind.  This recipe is a keeper and easy to make.

Peanut Butter Delight Pupcakes
Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Ingredients:
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup shredded carrots
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup honey
1 egg

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Line muffin cups with liners.
2.  Whisk together flour and baking soda.
3.  Add remaining ingredients and mix well.
4.  Fill prepared muffin cups 3/4 full or use ice cream scooper (makes about 6 pupcakes)
5.  Bake for about 18-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. 

I love my fur baby and enjoy spoiling her.  

Knowing a dog's love is amazing!

XOXO

Paula Deen Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

A co-worker's son was selling cookie dough for a school fundraiser and I decided to indulge in some cookies.  Now I am normally a homemade from scratch kind of cookie dough girl but everyone once in a while I will buy cookie dough.  While going through the cookie dough catalog I noticed there was Paula Deen cookie dough and knew I had to try them.  

cookies right out of the oven

That Paula Deen really knows her stuff.  These cookies are amazing.  I don't understand how the powder sugar stays when the cookie dough is baking but the cookies come out so cute and they just melt in your mouth

cookies cooling

Paula Deen Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Ingredients:
tub of Paula Deen Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
powder surgar

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Use cookie scoop and scoop out balls of batter.
3.  Roll balls into powder sugar
4.  Set cookie dough about 1 inch apart
5.  Bake for about 9 minutes
6.  Cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy

These cookies are amazing.  I wish I bought more tubs of this cookie dough.  I think I might need to google the recipe.  Hopefully Paula Deen shares her recipe for this cookie online.

Support the kids and buy cookies ... or cookie dough!

XOXO

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Is anyone on Pinterest?  Pinterest has everything.  EVERYTHING!  My favorite catergory on Pinterest is the Food and Drink.  There are so many recipes on Pinterest that I want to try.

cake cooling

I decided to try making a pineapple and angel food cake recipe that I saw on Pinterest.  The cake only requires a box of angel food cake mix and a can of crushed pineapple.

This cake smells so good

Pineapple Angel Food Cake

Ingredients:
1 box of Angel Food Cake mix
1 can crushed pineapple 20oz

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Mix angel food cake mix and 1 can of crushed pineapple
3.  Pour mixture into a 9x13 pan and bake for about 30 minutes
4.  Cool before eating

This cake smells so good baking and your house afterwards will smell amazing.  This cake is so easy to make and taste amazing.  So much flavor and so fluffy.  But please be careful when baking.  I seemed to burned mine a little so I will make sure to watch more carefully the next time I make it.  A great way to eat this cake is with some vanilla bean ice cream.  Amaze-A-BALLS!  According to Pinterest you can also make this with fruit pie filling such as blueberry, lemon, and apple.  Considering trying this next time.

Keep baking!

XOXO

Good Wifey

My husband does all kinds of fun things at his work.  I feel like he always has something going on.  It is not uncommon for him to come home and announce that he has to bring something.  Apparently he go salad this time.

Chopped Veggies

How someone gets assigned salad is mind boggling to me.  Let me tell you salad is not a easy pot luck item.  I mean to have a good salad there is a lot chopping involved and you need to also make sure everything stay fresh.

Packed salad

I woke up at 6am for El Husbee to chop up salad and pack it for his work thingy.  

I am such a good wifey.

Kudos to me.

XOXO

Banana Bread

Sometimes when it comes to banana bread the simpler the better.  Don't get me wrong chocolate chips, nuts, and coconuts are yummy.  But sometimes a good ole simple banana bread really hits the spot.  

mini banana bread

Sometimes I like to not mash my bananas completely so there are nice chunks of banana in my bread.  It's not pretty to look at but it sure is yummy to eat.

that hole is filled with yummy banana

Banana Bread
yield 2 mini loaves

Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups mashed rip bananas (about 3 medium bananas)

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.  Spray a mini loaf pan with cooking spray
3.  In a small bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg.  Set aside
4.  Beat together sugar and oil until combined.
5.  Add eggs and beat until well blended.
6.  Beat in flour mixture alternating with mashed bananas until incorporated.  DO NOT OVER MIX
7.  Pour batter into prepared loaf pan.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.
8.  Let cool for about 5 minutes in pan before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
9.  Enjoy when cool!

I usually make all my quick breads in a mini loaf pan because they are cute and perfect for sharing.  The mini loaves allow me to try new recipes without expanding my waist line too much.  Plus everyone is always happy when I bring baked goods over to share.

I wouldn't call myself a baked goods snob but I do believe that homemade is the best.  If you must buy something a local bakery is the next best option.  Store bought pre-made in a box is not something I recommend.  Too many preserves.  After working in retail I know that you just never know how long something is sitting on the shelf.

Buy local and support your community!

XOXO

Grilled Tri Tip

I am always scared to cook meat.  It just seems scary.  Plus I am not that much of a fan of eating meat either.  But El Husbee loves his meat.  Today we decided to get adventurous and BBQ/grill a tri tip.  We love Costco so of course we got the tri tip from Costco.  Since it was our first time I got the pre-seasoned tri tip.  I love that Costco sells it in 2 pieces.  

sliced after resting

Grilled Tri Tip

Ingredients:
pre seasoned trip tip

Directions:
1.  Heat up grill to around 400 degrees
2.  Grill on each side for about 15 minutes
3.  Rest on cutting board for about 5 minutes
4.  Slice and enjoy

I am not a big fan of meat but this smelled so good even I could not resist.  Not bad for our first time.  El Husbee is getting pretty good at grilling.  I would say that this would be a nice tailgating item in the fall.  Since I don't normally eat beef this is much better for El Husbee to grill and have left overs for other meals instead of steak.  I am thinking maybe some sandwiches tomorrow.  

Start grilling cause summer is here!

XOXO