Fudgy Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

This cake is a once a year favorite for my birthday.  I got this recipe from my friend Julie.  She gave me some helpful tips to result in a dense, fudgy, decadent, unforgettable cake.  This starts with an incredibly moist chocolate cake, frosted with peanut butter cream cheese frosting, topped with peanut butter, dark chocolate ganache, and finished with chopped peanut butter cups. To Die For!!!
Follow these tips for best results: First, do not overbake the cake.  If you do, you won't get that fudgy effect.  Second, get the Hersheys special dark cocoa for an extra dark cake not only in taste but in color.  Third, the cake can be made a day or two before you need it, as it tastes better the longer the flavors meld together. 

Fudgy Decadent Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake

Cake:
2 cups flour
2 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (Dark or dutch process)
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c neutral oil such as canola or vegetable
1 c sour cream
1 1/2 c water
2 tbs vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray two 8 or 9-inch cake pans with cooking spray liberally. Line the bottoms with parchment paper.  Combine in a medium bowl the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.  Whisk to combine them well.  Add the oil and sour cream and whisk to blend.  Gradually beat in the water, then blend in vinegar and vanilla.  Whisk in the eggs and beat until blended.  Divide batter even;y between the two pans.
Bake for 30-35 min. or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out almost clean.  Let cool in the pans for 20 min.  Then freeze them in the freezer for about 30 min.  (this is so the cakes don't fall apart when you invert them.)

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

10 oz cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter, softened
5 cups powdered sugar
2/3 c peanut butter (creamy kind)

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter till fluffy.  Add powdered sugar gradually. beat until fluffy.  Add peanut butter at the end until well combined.

Chocolate PB glaze:

1 c semi-sweet chocolate
3 tbsp smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp light corn syrup
1/2 half n half

combine all ingredients except for half in half in a bowl, microwave in 30-sec increments until chocolate is melted, whisk the mixture to make smooth.  Whisk in half n half, beating until nice and smooth.

Assemble the cake:  Place one cake round on a cake plate, cover liberally with frosting, top the next layer and continue to frost until cake is covered.  Pour ganache over cake and top with chopped peanut butter cups (About 6-7 peanut butter cups) (this is optional). Place in the fridge for a few hours for the cake to set.

Jenny J's Chocolate Chip Cookies

My dearest friend Jenny J lives here in Hawaii with me.  She is a wonderful baker.  She has been a true friend, and a constant support of my life! I love her and will miss her so much when we move apart.
Every year for Christmas she gives us some of her chocolate chip cookie dough, and it is seriously my favorite goodie during Christmas time.  Luckily, she gave me the recipe, and I can eat these cookies year around!   I love these cookies so much that I request them on my birthday for my special treat.

Jenny J's Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
3/4 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2  c + 3 tbs flour
1 c chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine butter and sugars together until blended.  Add egg and vanilla, mix.  Add flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until combined. Dough will be stiff.  Add chocolate chips, stir. 
Scoop or drop dough by large tablespoons onto a cookie sheet (I use a jelly roll pan).  Bake for 8 min. 

Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

These are AHHHHHHHmazing!  I will never use my over ripe bananas for boring banana bread again.  Not only were the bars moist and delicious, but the frosting sends it over the top.  I never knew how much flavor browning the butter can add to a frosting.  The frosting is insanely good.  You will be licking the bowl and spatula. I made a half batch, because I was testing the recipe.  I will give the measurements for the full recipe.  Just know that you can half the amount and it turns out great!

Banana Bars with Brown Butter Frosting

BANANA  BARS

1 1/2 c

sugar

1 c

sour cream

2

eggs

1/2 c

butter, softened

1 3/4 c

mashed ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)

2 tsp

vanilla extract

2 c

all purpose flour

1 tsp

baking soda

3/4 tsp

salt

1/2 c

chopped walnuts (optional)

BROWN BUTTER FROSTING

1/2 c

butter

4 c

powdered sugar

1 1/2 tsp

vanilla extract

3 Tbsp

milk

1/4-1/2 tsp salt

1. Heat oven to 330F. Grease a 15x10-inch jelly roll pan. For the bars, in a large bowl, beat together sugar, sour cream, butter, and eggs until creamy. Blend in bananas and vanilla extract. Add flour, baking soda, salt, and blend for 1 minute. Stir in walnuts.

2. Spread batter evenly into pan. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.

3. Meanwhile, for frosting, heat butter in a large saucepan over medium heat until boiling. Let the butter turn a delicate brown and remove from heat immediately.

4. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, salt and milk. Whisk together until smooth (it should be thicker than a glaze but thinner than frosting). Using a spatula, spread the brown butter frosting over the warm bars (the frosting will be easier to spread while the bars are still warm).

Picture courtesy http://www.manymakings.com/2013/03/18/banana-bread-bars-with-brown-butter-frosting/

Berry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

I made these Berry Bars a while back, and I forgot to blog about them.  We always have a bag of Costco frozen mixed berries in our freezer. I wouldn't waste your money on fresh berries for this recipe.  This recipe is the perfect combination of sweet and tart.  The crust and topping tastes like a brown sugar oatmeal cookie, and the filling is to die for. 

Berry Oatmeal Crumble Bars

Filling: 

3 cups of frozen berries
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp cornstarch 

Crumble and Crust:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 cups rolled oats (quick-cooking or regular)
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened and cut into 7-9 large chunks
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Filling: In a medium saucepan, stir together berries and lemon juice and cook medium heat until fruit is defrosted.
In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cornstarch, then stir into fruit mixture. Continue cooking until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1-2 minutes, until thick. Scrape berry filling into a medium bowl and set aside.

Crust: Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9×13″ baking pan.
In a food processor (or large mixing bowl), combine flour, oats, brown sugar, butter, baking soda , salt and vanilla extract. Pulse until mixture is thoroughly blended and resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of this mixture in a medium bowl. Pour remaining crumb mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish, spread evenly and pat down. Place filling in dollops over crust and carefully spread to cover entire surface. Squeeze reserved crumb mixture into large clumps with your fingers and sprinkle evenly over the top of the fruit filling.
Bake until golden brown, about 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Cut into 20 bars to serve.

 Recipe Source: http://bakingbites.com/2007/05/berry-oatmeal-crumble-bars/

Leftover Halloween Candy Bar Cookies

It's a couple days after Halloween, and we have ALOT of leftover candy.  Soccer season has ended and we have a potluck pool party we are going to.  I needed to bring something, and so the wheels turned in my head.  I used my favorite cookie base for chocolate chip cookies and instead of adding chocolate chips, I added all sorts of chopped up candy bars.  Snickers, Reese's, Baby Ruth, Malt balls, Hershey's bars, Nestle Crunch, M and M's....you name it, it went into the batter.  I went away from putting anything mint into the mixture and stuck with more of the caramel, nut, nougat, peanut butter profile.  These turned out incredible, and was a good way to use all those candy bars.  If you want to do one big chopfest, candy bar chunks can be stored a ziplock in the freezer for later uses.

Leftover Halloween Candy Bar Cookies

2 c. plus 2 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
12 tbs. butter, melted, then cooled till warm
1 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg, plus 1 egg yolk
2 tsp vanilla
1 -1 1/2 c. assorted candy bar pieces chopped up

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter in a large bowl in the microwave just until it melts, don't scorch it! Add sugars, vanilla, and salt to butter mixture. Add egg and egg yolk, blend. Add flour and baking soda, mix until blended. Stir in candy bar pieces. Scoop tablespoon sized cookies onto an ungreased, light colored baking sheet. Cook for 14 minutes, or until edges are lightly golden...do not over bake. Let cookies sit for 1 minute until removing them from the pan to cool.

Perfect Cut Out Sugar Cookies

I have tried dozens of cut out sugar cookie recipes.  I have to say, this is the one!  I hate it when I cut out the sugar cookies into shapes and after baking the cookies, the shape gets distorted.  Not this recipe.  The shape maintained it's straight lines, and the taste and texture is delicious.  Especially when you pair it with some almond flavored frosting...my fave. 
Keep dough really cold in between batches.  I like to cut out all my cookies at once, place them onto a a cutting board and stick them into the fridge so that they stay cold before putting them into the oven to cook.

Perfect Cut Out Sugar Cookies

1 c sugar
1 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
3 cups + 2 tablespoons, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large mixer, beat butter and sugar together until blended. Stir in egg, almond and vanilla extracts. Scrape sides of bowl and mix again. Slowly stir in flour and baking powder until just incorporated. Dough will be crumbly so you'll have to work it together with your hands. Shouldn't take too much effort. Roll dough out to be 1/4-3/8 inch thick on well floured work surface. Cut into desired shapes and transfer to baking sheet. Immediately transfer to oven and bake 7-8 minutes. The thicker the cookie, the longer the baking time. Cool 3 minutes, then transfer to cooling rack. Serve at room temperature.  Frost with frosting and decorate if you wish.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

I made a great dessert tonight.  I love brownies and I love cookies.  Combine the two and you get a a unique dessert.  This was very simple to throw together and was much better than just the ordinary brownie.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownies

(Recipe Courtesy of Pinch of Yum)

1/2 c butter, softened
3/4 c sugar
2 tbs brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 c plus 2 tbs flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c chocolate chips
18.9 ounce brownie mix(I used Giradelli brand from Costco)
(eggs, oil and water for brownie mix)

1. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugars in a small mixing bowl. Add vanilla and egg; cream again until smooth. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir gently until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Store in refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Preheat oven to 320 degrees. Prepare brownie batter as directed. Pour batter into a glass 8×8 or 9×9 baking dish. Scatter pieces of cookie dough over the top of the brownie batter.
3. Bake for 35-40 minutes (35 for gooey, 40 or more for fully baked), cover the top of the pan with foil until the last 10 minutes. The foil keeps the cookies from getting too brown on top. Let stand for 15-20 minutes and cut into pieces for serving.
4. You may have to adjust baking time, as you want the middle of the brownies to be barely set.

Fruit Pizza

I love fruit pizza.  This recipe serves alot, and is fast to throw together.  I use the help of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix.
This is my husband and son's favorite dessert that I make.  They are both fruit lovers.  Any fruit you have on hand will work.  Frozen berries, oranges, bananas, peaches, nectarines,

kiwi, fresh or canned pineapple, fresh berries, mandarin oranges, grapes, etc.  If you want to make ahead, use some jam or canned pie filling to top the bananas to prevent them from browning.

Fruit Pizza

1 pkg Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
juice of 1/2 lemon
zest of 1/2 lemon
3/4 c powdered sugar
assorted fresh, canned, or frozen fruit
Jam or pie filling (optional)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix together cookie mix according to package directions.  Press batter onto a greased cookie sheet pan.  Bake for 8-10 minutes it just until slightly golden around edges.  Remove from oven, set aside and let cool completely.  Mix together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until whipped and combined.  Spread evenly on cooled cookie crust.  Top pizza with fruit in whatever design you like.  Serve immediately and refrigerate leftovers.

Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars

I test alot of baked good recipes.  I would say only 50-30 percent get my TDF approval.  This recipe is a huge hit.  In fact I think I prefer these bars to lucious lemon bars to get my lemon fix.  The filling is to die for!  Not to mention the fact that I love cookies and the filling is surrounded by a delicious oatmeal buttery type cookie.  My husband approves and he is the true lover of lemon in our family.  Please, please use REAL lemon juice for this recipe.  It really makes a difference.  I made these a day in advance, and I was glad I did.  The longer that they sat in the fridge, the more set up they were.  Don't expect to cut these into squares for a couple hours after you bake them, as it needs to set. 

Creamy Lemon Crumb Bars

1 1/3 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 c butter, softened
1 c brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 c oats (quick or old fashioned...I used a mixture of both)
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c lemon juice
zest of one lemon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a smaller bowl, combine condesnsed milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice.  mix until fully blended, set aside.  In a medium bowl combine butter, brown sugar and vanilla.  Add flour, salt,baking powder, and oats.  Stir till almost combined, and then use your hands to really mix the dough, it will be crumbly.  Spray an 8x11 pan with cooking spray, press 1/2 of the dough on the bottom of the pan.  Spread the lemon mixture on top of the dough.  Crumble the remaining dough over top evenly.  Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until the sides start to just turn golden.  Let sit for at least and hour.  Refrigerate leftovers...if there is any! :)

Recipe and picture courtesy of http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2010/08/creamy-lemon-crumb-squares.html

Donut Muffins

I'm sitting down at my computer, and my brain wants to explode with how good these are.  I tried these on Sunday, when my friend Jenny brought them to church.  I saw them, and thought, "oh, its just a cinnamon and sugar coated muffin".  But, when I tried one, I felt like I was eating an actual donut.  The texture, and flavor make these muffins unbelievable.  This is for sure my new fav.  Thanks Jenny J!
Tonight I tried rolling the donut in powdered sugar, and it was off the charts good.  The cinnamon and sugar coating tastes like a churro donut and you get a good texture from the sugar crystals (Lana you will love this). 
Make this for breakfast this year on Easter morning, YOUR FAMILY WILL, (as my 4 year old son Cameron likes to say when something is good) "DIE OUT".
DO NOT OVERCOOK these babies, keep a close eye on them as oven temps vary.

Donut Muffins

1/3 c shortening
1 c sugar
1 egg
1/2 c milk
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg (a must)

6 tbs butter, melted
powdered sugar (1 cup or so)
cinnamon and sugar mixture (1/2 cup or so)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine sugar and shortening, add egg.  Mix until creamy.  Add milk, combine well.  Add flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg.  Stir until dough comes together.  Spray a 12 muffin tin with cooking spray.  Divide dough evenly among 12 muffin tins.  Bake for 22-25 minutes, or until tops are just set.  Tops of the muffins should still be white. 
Remove each muffin one at a time, dip into melted butter, and then coat with cinnamon and sugar or powdered sugar.  Let cool on a cooling rack. (Makes 12 muffins)

Picture courtesy of Sugarcrafter

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Oatmeal Cookies

Can cookies really be healthy?  My answer is NO.  But can it be full of more nutrition, have less sugar, and butter than an average cookie and still taste good?  My answer is yes!  This recipe turned out really good.  I was super skeptical, but I loved the flavor and texture of this cookie.  I ate two, and I was super full for the rest of the day!  Probably because of the oats, peanut butter and banana.  This was delicious!  I found this recipe here.

Peanut Butter, Banana, and Honey Oatmeal Cookies

1 1/4 c flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

4 tbs butter, softened

1/2 c brown sugar

1/4 c sugar

1/3 c peanut butter

1 tbs honey

1 tsp vanilla

1 egg

1 banana, mashed completely

2 c quick oats

Peanut Butter/Honey Glaze

3 tbs peanut butter

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 tbs honey

2 tbs milk

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine dry ingredients in a separate bowl.   In another bowl combine butter, and sugars.  Add peanut butter, and honey, mix till combined.  Add mashed banana, egg and vanilla until combined.  Add dry ingredients to wet, combine, and then add oats.  Scoop batter by the tablespoon onto baking sheet.  Flatten dough slightly.  Bake for 7-9 minutes or until tops are just set.  Remove from baking sheet and cool completely.  Mix together glaze ingredients until spreadable consistency.  Spread a little bit of glaze on each cookie.

Picture courtesy of http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/

Reeses Pieces Nutty Buddies

There was a sale recently here in Hawaii on Chex cereals.  I loaded up on corn and rice Chex not only because they are good for breakfast, but also good for a quick sweet treat.  This recipe doesn't actually have the candy Reeses Pieces in it, but the mixture you put onto the Chex cereal tastes just like Reeses Pieces, which I'm a huge fan of.  Of course, you could throw in some Reeses Pieces candy into the bowl, but trust me there is no need.  I also feel like the corn Chex works best for this, as it adds better flavor.  The key to a good nutty buddy mix is the amount of powdered sugar you use.  You want the Chex mix to not be white like the powdered sugar, but just be coated enough to wear the Chex mix is not wet anymore from the chocolate mixture (like a fudge coating) I have made this in small batches when I have needed a sweet fix at night after the kids go to bed. DELISH!

Reeses Pieces Nutty Buddies

8 cups Corn Chex
1 c white chocolate chips
3/4 c creamy peanut butter
3 tbs butter, softened
1-1 1/2 c powdered sugar

Place corn Chex in a large bowl.  In another medium sized bowl melt white chocolate in the microwave, stirring 15 seconds at a time.  Add peanut butter and softened butter, and microwave for another 15 sec, or until chocolate/peanut butter mixture is smooth.  Pour over corn Chex, and coat the cereal.  Place 1 cup of powdered sugar into a large freezer ziplock bag.  Place Chex mixture into bag, and shake around to coat the Chex with powdered sugar.  Add more powdered sugar if necessary. 

Chewy, Nutty, Coconut, Oatmeal cookies

These cookies are super yummy.  Sometimes I'm in the mood for a cookie without chocolate chips in it.  The texture of this cookie gets its chewiness from coconut and oatmeal.  The nuts and brown sugar are what make this cookie taste rich.  You can use whatever nuts you have on hand.  I had bought a huge bag of pecans from Costco, so that's what I put into my cookies.  You could also leave the nuts out of it, and it still would taste wonderful.

Chewy, Nutty, Coconut, Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 c sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 c butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 c flour
1/2 c shredded coconut
1/2 c quick oats
1/2 c finely chopped nuts (i used my food processor)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Combine sugars and butter.  Add egg and vanilla and mix well.  Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.  Mix until combined.  Add oats, coconut, and nuts until combined. Bake for 7-10minutes.  Do not over cook, should just barely start to turn golden on the edges.

Frog Eye Salad

I know, I know, this recipe title sounds disgusting.  But, honestly I couldn't alter the name for it.  It is what it is.....sort of.  My friend Kristi made this salad for our family a year ago probably, and I loved it.  She said that Hawaii didn't sell Acini De Pepe which is the small ball pasta.  However, our Safeway got some in a couple of months ago.  So like the Hawaiian Hoarder, I stalked up like we usually have to do.  This sweet salad is incredibly light and delicious.  If you like rice pudding or tapioca pudding this is definitely a salad for you.  I like this salad because you make your own pudding, and anything with sweetened condensed milk is always a winner in my book.  (Dad, you will love this one)
However, do NOT call this salad by the name that it is titled when your kids are around.  I would just say it is "fruit salad".  My kids totally would not try it because of the name....so lame.  They missed out.

Frog Eye Salad

1 1/4 c acini de pepe (in the pasta section)
1 (20 oz) can of pineapple chunks (cut into tid bits)
1 (11oz) can of mandarin oranges, cut in half
1/2 c shredded, sweetened coconut
3 tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 c plus 2 tbs sugar
2 c milk
1/4 c plus 3 tbs sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tbs vanilla

Cook acini de pepe according to package directions.  Drain pineapple chunks reserving pineapple juice in a cup.  After pasta is done, place into a bowl, and add pineapple juice, toss to coat, and let cool completely.  In a medium sauce pan combine cornstarch and sugar, whisk to get rid of any lumps.  Add milk, sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla to the pot.  Over medium low heat continually stir milk mixture until thickened like pudding (This takes about 10-12 minutes).  Transfer pudding to a bowl and cover with plastic wrap, and chill.  Combine pasta, pudding, coconut and fruits together.  Let chill in fridge for at least an hour before serving.....delicious!

Andes Mint Bars

I have a wonderful recipe for you!  Perfect for the holidays or whenever you are needing an Andes Mint fix.  Some stores sell Andes Mint baking bits.  If you see them, buy them (they are REALLY good).  They have the original chocolate and green mint bits, and then during the holidays they have the white chocolate peppermint bits.  You can use either in this recipe.  I loved how easy this recipe was to throw together.  (This recipe can be halved, if you prefer)

Andes Mint Bars

3 c flour
1 1/2 c butter
3/4 c sugar
pinch of salt
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed
2 c Andes Mint baking bits (any flavor)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, butter, and a pinch of salt.  Using a fork incorporate ingredients together until nice and crumbly.  Press half of the crumble into the bottom of a 9x13 pan.  Set remaining crumble aside.  In a medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed and 1 cup of the Andes Mint baking chips.  Microwave the mixture, stirring frequently until chocolate has melted into the sweetened condensed milk.  Pour milk mixture onto crust.  Combine the rest of the Andes baking bits with the crumbly top, and sprinkle it over the sweetened condensed milk layer.  Bake for 20 minutes or until slightly golden around the edges.  Let cook completely before cutting.

Chewy Apple Cider Cookies

These cookies are making me really happy right now.  Seriously. Not because I haven't made a baked good in over a month, but because they taste so amazing.  The texture of this cookie is absolutely perfect.  Perfectly chewy, spiced and little bit of tang from the apple flavoring.  I added white chocolate chips to my cookies to round it all out.  The original recipe had caramel in the middle, which I'm sure is amazing.  I just didn't have the caramel on hand. These are the perfect cookies for the holiday season. 

Chewy Apple Cider Cookies 

(Makes about 1 1/2 dozen very large cookies, double if needed)

1/2 c butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1/4 tsp salt
5 packets of instant apple cider
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 c white chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Mix butter, sugar and cider packets together.  Add egg and vanilla, mix well.  Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix just until incorporated.  Add white chocolate chips, and stir to combine.  Bake for 11-12 minutes.

Pumpkin Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Swirl

It's fall.  It doesn't feel like fall in Hawaii, except for a little bit more rain here and there.  Thank goodness for Pinterest to snap me into reality that the seasons are in fact changing.  I absolutely LOVE pumpkin.  I stocked up last year at the end of the season, so I have had 4 large cans in my pantry that are good thankfully until 2014.  I think pumpkin in general is pretty expensive given that it is a canned food, but pumpkin in Hawaii...super pricey.  What isn't here though, right?  So this bread is a true treat.  I did some research on this recipe, and decided to pair it with my pumpkin bread recipe, and tweak the swirl to have more of a unique flavor.  Hence, you've got the cream cheese mixture flavored with orange zest.  It's awesome.  Not only is this a new twist on pumpkin bread, but it looks amazing.  I love a good presentation.  Of course if you wanted to add nuts, raisins, or chocolate chips, by all means it's your call.  If you don't want to flavor it orange, leave out the zest.

      Pumpkin Bread with Orange Cream Cheese Swirl

1/2 c oil
1 1/2 c pumpkin
2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp baking soda

Swirl:
8 oz cream cheese
1 egg
zest of an orange
1/4 sugar

 Preheat oven to 340 degrees. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, oil, sugar, and vanilla, mix well. Combine dry ingredients to the wet ones until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix cream cheese, sugar, egg and orange zest together until well blended. Spray loaf pans with cooking spray (2 medium loaf pans or 4-5 small ones).  Spread a thin layer of the pumpkin batter on the bottom of the loaf pans.  Divide cream cheese mixture among the loaves, then top with remaining pumpkin batter.  Take the end of a knife and swirl each loaf around.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until set. Let sit for 10 minutes, and then remove from pans.

Mixed Berry Sauce

We miss fresh berries in Hawaii.  You can get them, but they cost a fortune.  So, I have resorted to buying frozen berries from Costco, which are delicious.  I originally made this recipe over father's day, when I made my husband pancakes with berry sauce.  He loved it.  This sauce is not too sweet, but just right.  My new favorite thing to do it make this sauce up, store it in the fridge and add it on top of my Greek yogurt, it is super good!  This sauce could go on top of cheesecake, waffles, ice cream, angel food cake, pancakes, yogurt, and probably many other things.  You can use any type of frozen berry for this recipe.

Mixed Berry Sauce

2 c frozen berries
1/3 c sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
zest of one lemon
pinch of salt
1 tbs cornstarch

Combine all ingredients into a medium pot.  Set heat to medium high heat.  Bring mixture to a boil until desired thickness.  Enjoy!

Butter Mochi

This is another one of those Japanese/Hawaiian treats that I have learned to love while living in Hawaii.  I'm almost afraid to post this recipe, because mochiko flour (rice flour) may not be available on the mainland unless you go to a Japanese specialty store. If you can get your hands on mochiko flour, make this awesome recipe.  It's a buttery, coconut, chewy type of custard that my friend Jenny and I have been foaming at the mouth about lately.  I looked at several recipes and kind of came up with my own to suit my taste.  This recipe makes alot, but is always a hit.  I definitely like this version of mochi one hundred times better than just plain mochi (the one with no butter).  You can make this in a 9x13 pan, but I like to make these in a muffin tin,because then you get optimal chewy edges.  In the muffin tin, this recipe makes about 36 servings.

Butter Mochi

1 stick of butter, melted
2 1/4 c sugar
1 box of mochiko flour
1 can of evaporated milk
1/2 c water
1 can coconut milk
4 eggs
2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix melted butter and sugar together until combined.  Add eggs, beating them one at a time.  Combine evaporated milk and water in a separate container and whisk them into the egg mixture.  Add vanilla and salt, mix.  Add mochiko flour and baking powder, mix until combined.  Lastly add coconut milk, whisk until smooth.  Using a 1/3 measuring cup, scoop batter into well greased muffin tins.  Bake mochi for about 20 minutes or until the edged are nice and golden.  Do not under bake these.  Believe it or not they are better the more golden they get!

Healthy Nutella Banana "Ice Cream"

Want to eat ice cream and not feel guilty about it?You need to make this right NOW.  If you want you can just use bananas but I decided to amp up the  "ice cream" a little bit by adding some addictive nutella to the mix.  Let me tell you how easy this is.....Slice bananas, freeze bananas, puree frozen bananas with nutella, and enjoy smooth, creamy "ice cream", made with no cream, and except for the added sugar in the nutella, is made with natural sugar from the bananas.  Bananas have the amazing characteristic to turn into an amazing, smooth, cold, creamy treat.  If you don't believe me, you need to test this recipe out.  I was skeptical, but I'm a full on believer.  Yes, yes, full fat, full sugar ice cream is to die for, but rarely do I find a healthy alternative that I actually want to eat.  You could add in a little vanilla extract, cinnamon, maple syrup, peanut butter, berries or peaches or cocoa powder to flavor your "ice cream".  After you puree your "ice cream", store in an air tight container in the freezer.  Enjoy! The original recipe and idea for this healthy dessert came from here.

Healthy Nutella Banana "Ice Cream"

3-4 bananas, sliced
2 tbs nutella (or any other add in you have on hand)

Slice bananas into chunks.  Lay flat on a cookie sheet, cover with plastic wrap.  Place into freezer until almost frozen solid.  In a food processor or blender, place almost frozen bananas.  Blend until almost smooth, add nutella, and puree until smooth and creamy.  Freeze leftovers in an airtight container.