Whats that you say...you want a donut but don't want the deep fried guilt....

Then you should bake these muffins that taste like donuts and leave the guilt in the pantry with the Flaming Hot Cheetos or whatever it is you like to indulge in. You might not want to frost them like I did either but what the heck! ahahaha!

Again I found this awesome recipe on Pioneer Woman. If I use another recipe from her site I may have to create a blog just to post all her recipes that I try. She posts fab stuff what can I say, I'm a fan and you should be too!

I brought these to work, let's just say these little muffins of donut goodness definitely made me the cool kid at school that day.

A couple entries ago I posted the Root beer chocolate cake, well I have a little bowl of that effing awesome frosting left over so I took it upon myself to slather half a dozen of these muffins with that chocolate gift from the dessert gods!!

So on with the deliciousness!

Enoy & Keep on Making Stuff!!

INGREDIENTS:

•1-¾ cup Flour
•1-½ teaspoon Baking Powder
•½ teaspoons Salt
•½ teaspoons Nutmeg
•½ teaspoons Cinnamon
•⅓ cups Oil
•¾ cups White Sugar
•1 whole Egg
•¾ cups Milk

FOR THE TOPPING:

•¼ cups Butter
•⅓ cups White Sugar
•1 Tablespoon Cinnamon

PREP INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Combine oil, sugar, egg and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.
Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a bowl. Combine the white sugar with the cinnamon in another bowl.
Shake muffins out while still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then into the sugar/cinnamon mix. Let cool.

ohhh they look like little mushrooms! but more delicious!

the butter, cinnamon and sugar topping was sooooooooo good! I wanted to eat it by the spoonful.

Vegan Schmegan! This pumpkin bread is extra special good!!

One of my most favorite things about fall is making things with pumpkin. I have not met a pumpkin recipe I did not like.
I also really enjoy trying new things and this recipe has definitely won 1st place in the pumpkin recipe category.

This bread is very moist and delish! It's lite and not overly sweet. I really like the maple syrup and pumpkin combo. Sooo tasty.

This bread was so good I forgot to take a picture of it sliced up and being served. ahahha! Trust me when I say this bread will make you bite say mmmm chew bite say mmm and chew ahahaa! I suggest serving it warm but even at room temp its perfect.

My grandma loved it and whatever my grandma says goes! ahahaa!

Enjoy & Keep On Making Stuff!

Vegan Pumpkin Walnut Bread
Adapted from Joy the Baker


makes 2 loaves

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour ( or whole wheat flour… or just use only all-purpose flour)

2 cups light brown sugar, packed

1/3 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (i substituted all the spices below with pumpkin pie spice 2 t)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon cloves

1 15-ounce can pumpkin puree, or just under two cups

1 cup vegetable oil

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup water

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional, i didn't use them because I don't like nuts in my food. HA!)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease and flour two loaf pans (mine are 8×4x2) and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, sugars, baking soda, baking powder, salt and spices.

In a medium bowl, carefully whisk together pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup and water.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and use a spatula to fold all of the ingredients together. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl well, finding any stray flour bits to mix in. Fold in most of the chopped walnuts, reserving some to sprinkle on top of the batter once in the pan.
Divide the dough between the two greased pans and sprinkle with a few walnut pieces. Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven. Let rest in the pans for 20 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack.

yummers look at that bad boy!!!

Chocolate Root Beer Cake aka Giant Glazed Donut Cake

OK! So this cake is so truly amazing! I had some frosting left over and I seriously want to put it on everything. I thought about dipping a tortilla chip in it the stuff was so good!

Let me first give credit where credit is due. Take A Mega Bite and her fab blog that inspires me to have a cooler blog thank you for sharing the recipe i am totally paying to forward right now, and Keith Millard not only one of the greatest guys I know but also a spectacular sales man for Boylan. If you guys have not tried Boylan Soda or MASH it is a must! I used Boylan Root Beer in this recipe. I was going to go all local and use Faygo but I want to support my friends as well so Boylan it is!

I don't drink soda but I took a wiff of this Root Beer and HELLO LOVER!!! That stuff is DREAMY!!! Oh and Keith is also a awesome chef as well and always has great tips and suggestions for me when I need them!!

So now that my Emmy speech is over ahaha back to the recipe!!

I made this cake for my Mommie Dearest, it was her birthday on 11/02. As I was frosting it I realized it started to look like a GIANT CHOCOLATE GLAZED DONUT!! OMG!!!! Really who doesn't love a good glazed donut from time to time, let alone a GIANT one and it's made of chocolate and root beer!! Heavens to Mergatroid!!

Now who would have thought root beer and chocolate would go together like this. I mean really!! Not I! Its like 2 lost souls united, it's like the day you discover BBQ Fritos dipped in cream cheese are the most amazing PMS snack ever! Wait no that was just me! Never mind!! I get carried away!!

There is something about this combo that truly compliments one another. It's cosmic I tell you!! It was meant to be!! It completes me!! ahahaha!!

I could ramble on and one about this! HI like that is a surprise!

Here you go!!!

Enjoy & Keep On Making Stuff!

Root Beer Chocolate Bundt Cake

Recipe from Take a Megabite borrowed who got it from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking via Joy the Baker

Ingredients:

2 cups root beer

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 t baking soda

1 t salt

2 large eggs

chocolate shavings for sprinkling (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325ºF. Spray the inside of a 10-inch bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a small saucepan, heat the root beer, cocoa powder and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In a small bowl whisk the eggs until just beaten. Then whisk into the cocoa mixture until combined. Gently fold the cocoa mixture into the flour mixture. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Give it a quick whisk, but don’t over beat the batter or it could cause the cake to be tough.

Pour the batter into prepared pan and bake for 35-45 minutes, rotating the cake halfway through baking until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely then loosen the edges with a butter knife and turn out onto a cake plate.

Chocolate Root Beer Frosting

Ingredients:

2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

1/2 t salt

1/4 cup root beer

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using an electric hand mixer, beat softened butter and cocoa powder. Once combined add the melted chocolate, salt, powdered sugar and root beer. Beat together until smooth. Spread on top of cooled cake.

so there was a little accident and a chunk got stuck in the pan. But don't worry we ate it warm right out of the pan! Yeah Daddy!!!

have i mentioned how much i love my kitchen aid mixer. I'm calling her Black Betty. Not only a awesome song but a great combo of her color and Betty Crocker! YES!

this bad boy looked like a glazed chocolate donut for sure!! I love it!! Then I thought! Holy Sprinkles! Let's add some! and thennn....

this happened! Don't you love it!!

yummm i love the way this pic came out!

the happy birthday girl!


       





              this cake makes people happy!!

5 Clever Ways Not To Waste Food

A friend shared this on Facebook and I have been meaning to share it with you as well.... it's from one of my fav resource sites, Epicurious.


5 Clever Ways Not to Waste Food

1. "Stop cheese from drying out by spreading butter or margarine on the cut sides to seal in moisture. This is most effective with hard cheeses sealed in wax." We have this trouble all the time in our house when zip-top bags aren't closed properly. (You know who I'm talking about.)

2. "In order to make cottage cheese or sour cream last longer, place the container upside down in the fridge. Inverting the tub creates a vacuum that inhibits the growth of bacteria that causes food to spoil." OK, I'm not sure why this works, and I haven't tried it yet. Anyone heard of this before?

3."Avoid separating bananas until you plan to eat them - they spoil less quickly in a bunch." Really? Since my family descends on bananas like wild animals, I may not have a chance to test this one.

4. "When radishes, celery, or carrots have lost their crunch, simply pop them in a bowl of iced water along with a slice of raw potato and watch the limp vegetables freshen up right before your eyes." Sadly I read this too late to save some sad-looking carrots that were dumped in the compost bin this week.

5. "Line the bottom of your refrigerator's crisper drawer with paper towels. They'll absorb the excess moisture that causes veggies to rot." This is interesting, but what I really need is a see-through drawer so I remember what I stashed in there before it starts to ooze.

Click here for the link to check out more info.

Enjoy & Keep On Making Stuff!