Pumpkin Donut Holes

I don't like fall. But It's inevitable so why not embrace it through food? I guess this is supposed to be a healthy take on donuts (since they're baked), but I don't consider cake dipped in butter and rolled in sugar to be healthy. Oh well, cheers to fattening fall food. :)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1/3 cup veggie oil

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 canned pumpkin

1/2 cup milk

Directions:

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and ground cloves. Set aside.

Combine oil, brown sugar, egg, vanilla, pumpkin, and milk.

Mix combinations together.

Pour batter into a greased mini muffin pan. Or any mini baking pans... I used a heart shaped one.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Make sure to keep an eye on them. They might not be done after 12 minutes.

Let cool.

Melt one stick of butter.

Combine one cup sugar with 1 or 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.

Dip donut in butter and then roll it in the cinnamon/sugar mixture.

Enjoy!

Pasta with Alla Vodka Sauce

This sauce is so creamy, so good and so easy to make! 

Ingredients:

*I use 1 or 2 teaspoon of this minced garlic in a jar

But you could also use 1 or 2 fresh garlic cloves

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup fresh baby tomato's (quartered)

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/4 cup vodka

1 pint heavy cream
3/4 cup pasta sauce (I use Wee Willys)

1 box of pasta

Directions:

In large skillet (medium heat) sauté garlic and olive oil for 2 minutes

Stir in tomatoes and basil. Let cook for about 15 minutes.

Stir in vodka and let simmer for another 10 minutes

Stir in cream and sauce- let simmer for 15 minutes or until sauce starts to thicken

Pour over cooked pasta and top with Parmesan.

Enjoy :]

Avocado Chicken Salad

It finally feels like summer here in Minnesota!

Longest. Winter. Ever. Just sayin'.

The appearance of this...

called for a fresh and summery dinner.

Soo, I made this...

Umm yum! Is anyone else out there an avocado lover?

I really didn't use a recipe for this one. I'll just tell you what I used and you can adjust the measurements to your taste.

Avocado Chicken Salad:

Mix together...

2 chicken breasts (cooked in a saucepan with some olive oil and garlic- then sliced)

5 green onions (washed and sliced)

1/2 can garbanzo beans

3/4 cup quartered baby tomato's

1/4 cup corn

1/2 cup tortilla strips (you could use crushed tortilla chips or fried tortillas if you don't have any tortilla strips)

Separately, mix together about 5 tablespoons mayo (more or less depending on how creamy you want it) with 2 tablespoons vinegar

 Add to mixture

*I only ended up using half of the mayo/vinegar mixture because the lovely lady below (aka my mom) doesn't like creamy things.

Next, slice two avocados in half, and pit them.

Fill them with the mixture

Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on top & serve.

So easy and simple!

Happy Summer!

-Leah :]

Box Cake? No thanks!

I was beyond disappointed when I came across this gorgeous picture of red-velvet strawberry shortcake only to find that she used cake from a box! I decided to make the cake for Easter but definitely change the recipe.

So here's what I did-

For the Red-Velvet Cake:

Ingredients:

4 teaspoons cocoa powder

1 or 2 ounces red food coloring (depending on how red you want it to be)

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons distilled vinegar

1 cup shortening

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:

Grease two 8-inch cake pans and preheat the oven to 350 degrees

In a small bowl, sift together flour and salt- set aside

Mix shortening, sugar and eggs

Add cocoa powder and vanilla

Then add the flour mixture and buttermilk

Separately, combine baking soda and vinegar. Once combined, add them to the bowl.

Make sure everything is mixed well and add the food coloring.

Pour an even amount of batter into the two cake pans and bake for about 30 minutes or until your tooth pick comes out clean.

For the Shortcake:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1 1/2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup milk

Directions:
Grease two 8-inch round pans and preheat oven to 350 degrees
Beat butter (at room temperature) with sugar until light and fluffy
Add eggs and yolks (one at a time)
Add vanilla
Alternate adding flour and milk (in two parts each)
Spread batter in pans and bake for 30-35 minutes

Putting the Cakes Together:

Ingredients:
2 containers of fresh strawberries (washed and sliced)
1 or two containers of whip cream (depending on how thick you want your layers)

Directions:
*It will be hard to move the cake once it is put together. So, if you can, assemble it on the tray that you plan to serve it on. Also, make sure that the cakes are completely cool! If they aren't, the whip cream will melt.
Place one cake on the plate
Add a layer of whip cream
Add a layer of strawberries
Continue this process until the cake is assembled.

This picture definitely doesn't do the cake any justice. It was too tall to fit in my cake container so it ended up getting smushed and rolling around in the car before we got to Easter brunch :). It tasted good though, and that's all that really matters in the end. But just for future references, it'd be a good idea to  not use all of the red velvet cake batter- so the cake would be shorter. And avoid any traveling.

Enjoy!

-Leah :]



A Little Bit About me...

The purpose of this blog is to share things that i whip up in the kitchen, but of course I wanted to introduce myself first!

Here's the low down-

My name is Leah and I am going to be a Sophomore in College

My favorite food is cotton candy

I like to bake & make crafty things

I like snow. I like rain. I like sun.

I like shopping for clothes and antiques.

I like black and white pictures.

I love my family.

I love my friends.

I love Jesus!

I love pretty much everyone.

I love the city.

I love a good bargain.

I love you for taking time to read this

& I love me some quality time in the kitchen. Yumm!

-Leah :]