EAT this!

I like food. I always have.  It tastes good and there is so much you can do with it. You can get creative with just about anything.
On the healthy food lane, there is also so, so much you can do with that bowl of lettuce, that dish of yogurt or what I will be sharing today, oats!

Granola is so easy and is so good!
There is many things you can make out of a cup of dry oats.  So right now I am going to share my recipes for what I have tried and come up with!


This right here, is the basic recipe I use. Below I include my favorite add-ins.

Here are three more of my recipes!

Cinnamon Raisin 

3/4 cup of quick oats

2-3 TBS. ground flax

2 TSP chia seed

1 TBS powdered peanut butter

3-4 TBS honey

1-2 TBS coconut oil

1/4 cup raisins

A few teaspoons of cinnamon 

Banana Walnut 

3/4 cup of quick oats

2-3 TBS. ground flax

2 TSP chia seed

1 TBS powdered peanut butter

3-4 TBS honey

1-2 TBS coconut oil

Some crumbled walnuts

Stir.

Slice Banana on top.

Chocolate 

3/4 cup of quick oats

2-3 TBS. ground flax

2 TSP chia seed

1 TBS powdered peanut butter

3-4 TBS honey

1-2 TBS coconut oil

2-3 TBS chocolate chips or cocoa powder

Microwave till chocolate and oil are melted. About 35 seconds.

 Stir and enjoy.

(All photos are taken my me, if you use them, please give me credit or link to my blog. Thank you)


All of these recipes are super good and super healthy. I eat this typically between breakfast and lunch or the afternoon. Each ingredient has really great values.
Oats are good for your heart.
Flax is high in fatty acids and fiber!
Chia seed has fiber, iron calcium, Omega 3 and fatty acids.
Powder peanut butter is organic, less fat and much better for you in general.
Honey boosts immune system, good for your digestion, etc.
Coconut oil is good for digestion, metabolism, etc.


If you try any of these, send me a picture! Comment, contact me via social media or email me (elizwolfe99@gmail.com) And I will share your photo!

xxLizzie

Wordless Easter

Here are some of my favorite pictures from yesterday!  Enjoy!  (Sorry for the bad lighting on the cheesecakes/pictures 2-6)

xxLizzie

Bunny - Angel food cake with 7 minute frosting!

Sooooo  a few days ago I made a boxed Angel food cake in 2 round pans and one suuuper tiny bunny shaped pan!  So cute.  I used this recipe: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/favorite-fudge-birthday-cupcakes-with-7-minute-icing-recipe 
Delish!
Heres pictures...  

The cake batter was just like... whipped cream... so odd...

                                                                       All baked!

And frosted!!!

 Yum!  I cut up strawberries with mine, so good!

Like silk - Chocolate Cake

So, yesterday I made this fabulous cake - haha ;)  So I thought I should share the recipe and some pictures!

Here is the batter.   It was really runny; like "Oh my gosh, how is this even going to bake!?" Runny.

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1-ounce squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted (I used 1 oz of Chocolate chips)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder 
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/4 cup Sour Cream (Or plain yogurt)

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round baking pans (Or 9x13) set aside. In a large mixer bowl add the vegetable oil, egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until well mixed (1 minute). Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar; continue beating until well mixed (1 minute). Add the melted chocolate, 1 cup of the flour, 2/3 cup of the cocoa powder, the baking soda and salt. Beat at low speed until mixed. Add 1/2 cup of the water; beat at low speed until mixed. Add the remaining 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water; beat at low speed until mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Beat in 1 cup of the sour cream until mixed. Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake pans from the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans; cool completely. 
The baked product was GORGEOUS!  It didn't even have the usual cracks at the top like cakes do, the top felt like... so smooth.  As you can see, I sprinkled chocolate chips on top... little did I know that I was going to lightly frost it... 

So, here we are, not wanting to make frosting.  I tried to make a ganache, but it was more like the consistency of frosting...

1\2 - 3\4 cup of chocolate 

1 TBS. butter

1 1\2 tsp. vanilla 

Melt butter and chocolate, stir in vanilla when done.  

This made just enough to lightly frost the cake.  And then conveniently,  we had some chocolate syrup, which I put on the cake as well... Heres the finished cake!!!

Ta Da!!  :)

Chocolate Velvet Cupcakes and Perfect Chocolate Frosting

A good cupcake making day... I derived this from a Red Velvet cupcake recipe.  i have made these twice and they are (not to brag) pretty much some of the best I've tasted.  So try out this recipe next time you bake!

The key with this is whipping each ingredient to perfection.  The first time I made these, the batter resembled frosting.  The baked result's texture was amazing, nice and moist :)
Here is the recipe and some pictures :)

This makes about 30 cupcakes:
2 1\2 cups of flour
1\2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1\2 teaspoon salt
2 sticks of softened butter
2 cups of sugar
4 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1\2 cup milk
2 teaspoons Vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. For the Cupcakes, mix flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in medium bowl. Set aside.  
   
2. Beat butter until smooth.  Then add sugar in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Mix in sour cream, milk and vanilla, one ingredient at a time, blending it all together well until resembles cream colored batter which will be very watery. 

1.  Gradually beat in flour mixture on low speed. Then beat until fluffy or at least thick and kind of stiff. Spoon batter into 30 paper-lined muffin cups, filling each cup about 1\2 to 2\3 full.

1. Bake 20 minutes or until toothpick inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Remove from pans; cool completely.  
   
2. You're all done with the cupcakes!  Now, if you so choose to make frosting, you can try out the recipe below:
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1\2 - 3 cups powdered sugar depending on desired sweetness
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream
4. Beat butter on high speed until creamy.  Add cocoa powder and vanilla.  Beat again.  Scrape the bowl often.  When combined, add powdered sugar, one cup at a time.  Mixture will be very dry.  Add milk slowly and keep mixing.  Then do the same with the sour cream.  Scrape bowl often and whip until medium brown colored and very fluffy :)

Enjoy!!

Chocolate Cheescake!!!

I spent at least 2 hours making this.  But it was so worth it!!!  

Maybe I will post the recipe sometime.  YUM

Honey-Pecan Pudding Cheescake

So... today I wanted to make something without baking it... so I grabbed a box of pudding and went through the pantry and threw in whatever might work.  It tastes good and hopefully is better when it sets;)  This is how I made it:

Recipe:
1 box of Instant Vanilla Pudding mix
2 cups of milk (that is according to the recipe on the pudding box.  So you want to just make the pudding;)
8 oz. of softened cream cheese
3-4 Tbs of Honey
A little less than 1\3 of a cup of brown sugar
A little less than 1\3 f a cup of powdered sugar
1\4 cup of crushed pecans  
Graham cracker.  (as needed)


Directions:
Follow directions on pudding box.  Try to make sure that the milk is room temperature, because I messed up and the cream cheese got all chunky.  Then add the softened cream cheese to room temp. pudding.  Add in the honey and sugars.  Line a 9x13 pan with graham crackers.  When the mixture is pudding-thick slowly pour on top of the graham crackers.  Now, you can sprinkle some more brown sugar on top if you want.  And this is where the pecans come in.  Sprinkle those as well.  I also cris-crossed it all with a little more honey;)

Jello no bake Cheesecake;)

Yesterday I made a Jello no bake Cheesecake.  I decorated it with strawberries and a few shakes of Red nonpareils ( round sprinkles) in the center.  It turned out really yummy, and of course was really simple and easy.  I thought I'd just show some pics of it below...

Abbie's First Communion cake.

My little sister, Abbie, is receiving her First Communion tomorrow.  Today, my mom and I made the cake...

 My mom did the base white, the Chalice and Host.  I did the writing, flowers and outer piping.  I was surprised at how good it turned out!!! I really thought I would mess up!

Super Good, super easy: Chocolate covered raisins

I love chocolate covered raisins.  So here is QUICK recipe for them:)

1 cup of Raisins
1\2 cup of Chocolate chips  -surprisingly, you only need half the amount of the amount of raisins to cover them fully.
1 TBS butter

Melt the chocolate chips and butter in microwave for about 30 seconds-  careful, you don't want them to burn!  Stir the mix until combined.  Mix in the raisins until covered with chocolate.  Place in fridge for 30 min. to harden chocolate.  

Guacamole Wraps

Last night for dinner we made Guacamole Wraps.
-Tortillas
-Guacamole
-Red Bell Peppers
-Turkey Slices
-Cheese
Here are some pics of them.  They were sooooooooooo good!!!!

Easter

These are pictures from Easter Sunday so Enjoy!

 Our Easter house set-up

 Our Resurrection Rolls: Peeps wrapped in crescent rolls

 Our Amish Breakfast Bake: cheese, bacon, hash browns and eggs

 easter eggs!

Good cake recipe!!

Daisy Brand Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Prep Time: 30 Minutes
Total Time: 2 Hours
Serves: 12                                                                                

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 large egg
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract , divided usage
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 1-ounce squares semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cups unsweetened cocoa powder , divided usage
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup warm water
• 1 1/4 cup Daisy Brand Sour Cream , divided usage
• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup 2% milk

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour 2 8-inch round baking pans; set aside. In a large mixer bowl add the vegetable oil, egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until well mixed (1 minute). Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar; continue beating until well mixed (1 minute). Add the melted chocolate, 1 cup of the flour, 2/3 cup of the cocoa powder, the baking soda and salt. Beat at low speed until mixed. Add 1/2 cup of the water; beat at low speed until mixed. Add the remaining 1 cup flour and 1/2 cup water; beat at low speed until mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat at medium speed for 2 minutes. Beat in 1 cup of the sour cream until mixed. Pour the batter evenly into the pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove the cake pans from the oven and cool in the pans for 10 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans; cool completely. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, beat the butter at high speed until creamy (about 1 minute). Add 2/3 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar. Beat the frosting at low speed until mixed. Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup sour cream and milk; beat at low speed until mixed, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Beat at medium speed until smooth and creamy. Place one cake, rounded side down, on the serving plate. Spoon and spread 1 cup of the frosting over the cake. Place the second cake, rounded side up, over the frosting. Frost the sides and top of the cake with the remaining frosting. Garnish if desired.