Funfetti Cupcakes for Two!

This recipe was just meant to be.  I found it at the perfect moment!

I was craving something sweet and I didn't want a big batch of goodies hanging around for me to munch on all day, because I AM a muncher!  My sweet tooth "sweet teeth" have no willpower.

And besides, I had a little extra frosting leftover from some cookies I had made a few days earlier that I couldn't bear to throw away, because a spoonful of frosting fits perfectly in my hand!

Two cupcakes are the perfect treat for the weekend.  One for me and one for the Mr. (or two for me)!

I mixed these up in a cereal bowl, using a fork, and it took about 2 seconds.  They are a dense cupcake and are very moist and I love the vanilla flavor. I think they would be amazing with almond extract too.  I flavored my leftover frosting with some Orange Bakery Emulsion that I personally think has an awesome orange taste. The orange flavored frosting paired perfectly with the vanilla cake.

You could easily make these using only red and blue sprinkles for a cute Fourth of July goodie!  

Come on now . . . treat yourself to a cupcake. . . you won't regret it!!  

Funfetti Cupcakes for Two {or three}

adapted from: Completely Delicious
(Printable Recipe)

1 egg white

2 Tbl. sugar

2 Tbl. unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

heaping 1/4 tsp. baking powder

pinch of salt

1 1/2 Tbl. milk

1 Tbl. sprinkles

Whisk together the egg white, sugar, melted butter and vanilla.  Add the flour, baking powder and salt.  Stir in the milk and sprinkles.  Divide between two cupcake liners (I actually got 3 cupcakes) that have been lightly sprayed with cooking spray.  Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes (mine took 17 min.) or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Cool completely and top with frosting.  

      
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/2 - 1 Tbl. milk
small pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a medium bowl, use a hand mixer to beat together the powdered sugar and butter.  Add 1/2 Tablespoon of milk, the salt and vanilla extract and beat on high until smooth and fluffy.  Add the additional 1/2 Tablespoon of milk, if necessary, to get a spreadable consistency.  Spread on cooled cupcakes and garnish with sprinkles.  

Jenn's Notes:  These cupcakes were awesome! I used leftover frosting and I added some Orange Bakery Emulsion to it.  I did not make the above Vanilla Buttercream Frosting, but I added it for you guys just incase you don't have any leftover frosting hanging around.

Sloppy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

When is the last time your power went out?  I'm not talking about just a flicker of the lights, but an actual power outage for hours and hours?  That happened to me the other night.  I was getting ready to make dinner.  I pulled everything out of the fridge and pantry.  I already had a chicken breast in the oven that I was going to use in my casserole.  Then, the lights went out and I hear the sound of everything shutting down.  So, I wait a few minutes, then a few minutes more.  Nothing.   A while goes bye and still nothing.  I called the power companies number and listened to the recording which said estimated up time 9:30 p.m.  Great. I guess we're going out for dinner and going shopping for a few hours.  

We got home around 10:00 p.m and as we pull in, I notice all of the neighbors lights are still out.  Crap.  I called the power companies number again and now it says estimated up time midnight.  Luckily, I had some candles in the cupboard.  I showered to candle light and I brushed my teeth to candlelight.  I couldn't imagine having a power outage for more than a day.  Things like that make me realize how much we rely on power.  

No lights, no oven (which means no cookies), no computer or internet (no blogging), no T.V., no radio, NO AIR CONDITIONER.  

Anyway, that really had nothing to do with anything, except for maybe the reason why it took me an extra day or two to get up my blog post.

Now, onto the sloppy grilled cheese sandwiches.

This was a nice twist on a regular sloppy joe.   I had never eaten a sloppy joe sandwich with cheese on it, but could cheese really be bad on something.  I don't think so!  I thought these were great.  They are fast and easy and your whole family will gobble them up.  I loved the crunch from the toasted bread with the melty cheese and sloppy filling and I loved that this used regular white bread (I actually used french bread I had on hand).    

Sloppy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
(Printable Recipe)

1 batch sloppy joe filling

8-10 slices white bread

butter or butter spray

shredded or sliced Cheddar cheese

Prepare sloppy joe filling according to recipe directions.  Meanwhile, heat skillet over medium heat.  Spread butter over one side of each slice of bread.  For each sandwich, place one slice of bread, butter side down into a skillet.  Top each slice with some cheese, some of the beef mixture and additional cheese.  Place an additional slice of bread on top, butter side up, creating the sandwich.  Cook until bread is nicely browned, carefully flip over and cook until other side is browned.  Repeat until all the sandwiches are made.  Makes 4-5 sandwiches.  

Jenn's Notes: I used store-bought french bread, that I sliced like sandwich bread.  I use butter spray, which makes it so much easier than trying to spread butter onto soft bread.  I only did one layer of cheese and I thought that would be plenty, but I ended up wishing there was more.  So, add both layers!  I cooked these in a cast iron skillet and they browned up very nicely. 

idea from: Real Mom Kitchen

Watermelon Frosty

I got a crazy good deal on a watermelon the other day, but since it is kinda hard for only two people to eat an entire watermelon, I figured I needed another plan.  After going to the pool yesterday and being out under the HOT sun, the only thing that sounded good was something ice cold.  How about a watermelon frosty?  I knew I had seen one on Pinterest, so I searched around and sure enough there it was.  Remember when I made Banana Ice Cream by only using frozen bananas and it turned out so smooth and creamy.  Well, this frosty uses frozen watermelon chunks, but since watermelon is very watery, you also have to add a banana to give it than creamy consistency.

This frosty turned out thick and creamy and was so refreshing - the perfect way to beat the heat.  It did end up tasting more like banana and lime than watermelon, but it was still great.  If you have any watermelon in your fridge that needs used up, cut it up and freeze it to either make this frosty now or another day. 

Watermelon Frosty

(Printable Recipe)

2 1/4 cups frozen watermelon cubes

1/2+ c. milk

2 Tbl. sugar

juice of 1 lemon or 1 lime 

1 fresh banana

Add the frozen watermelon cubes, 1/4 cup of milk, sugar, lemon or lime juice and the banana to a blender or food processor.  Blend until smooth, gradually adding remaining milk as need to reach desired consistency.  Pour into 2 small glasses and garnish with a frozen watermelon slice.  Serve immediately.  

Jenn's Notes: The easiest way to get the watermelon to freeze fast is to cut it up into cubes and place those in a single layer on a plate and set in the freezer.  I used my food processor to blend this up very easily.  If you use a blender, you might have to stop and stir it a few times.  I used lime, but I want to try lemon next to see which one I prefer.   

adapted from: Healthy Happy Life and Foodess

"Skinny" Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies

Have you ever heard the words "skinny" and "brownie" in the same sentence?  Me neither until the other day.  The blogger that made these went on and on about how incredibly yummy they are and I trusted her, because she is always making yummy treats, so it's not like she hadn't eaten chocolate in forever, so anything would have tasted good (you know what I mean). 

For a "skinny" brownie, I think they are great.  They are extremely rich and fudgy and I was amazed they baked up so well with such a unique combination of ingredients!  They are super thick and coat your whole mouth while you are eating them.  You definitely need to finish these off with a glass of milk.  The chocolate part does have a slight tangy/sour flavor from the yogurt, but as long as you get peanut butter in every bite, it won't stand out.  

They are made with healthy ingredients like yogurt, peanut butter and oats, so you don't have to feel guilty about eating one or two or even three!!  Plus, they are made in a blender - all you have to do is measure and push a button.  Easy enough?

"Skinny" Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies

adapted from: Sally's Baking Addiction
(Printable Recipe)

6 oz. low-fat or fat-free vanilla yogurt (I used plain)

1/4 c. skim milk

1 egg

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking powder

1 c. sugar (or Splenda)

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)

3/4 c. creamy peanut butter

Add all the ingredients to a blender, except the peanut butter, adding the wet first to help it mix easier.  Blend until smooth and oats are ground.  Stopping to scrape once or twice.  Pour into a lightly greased 8x8 baking dish.  Microwave peanut butter for 30 seconds.  Drop spoonfuls over brownie batter and swirl with a knife, creating a marble look.  Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until they pull away from the pan.  They will be extra fudgy, so make sure to wait until completely cooled before cutting.  

Sausage and Rice Casserole with an Interesting Ingredient

I am really starting to like sausage.  If I ever said back in the day, in my early posts, that I hated sausage, well . . . things have changed.  You see, I think it was one of those things where I didn't like it when I was younger, so I figured I still didn't like it, without thinking maybe my tastes have changed and I will like it now.  I started tasting it in my dishes rather than picking it out and I have realized how much flavor it adds.  

I found this recipe in Rush Hour Recipes and it sounded a little odd, but the lady that submitted it claims it was a childhood favorite, then when she grew up and got married, her husband started to love it too, so she had to learn how to make it herself.  

The thing that sounded odd was combining chicken noodle soup mix and sausage, but it must work together to be a family favorite recipe.  I liked it.  The chicken noodle soup mix added this yummy coating to the rice which added a lot of flavor.   

Wondering what to do with any leftover chicken noodle soup mix?  Try this Smothered Chicken Recipe!  

Sausage and Rice Casserole

adapted from: Rush Hour Recipes
(Printable Recipe)

2 Lbs. ground pork sausage

1 onion, chopped

3 - 4 c. celery, chopped

9 c. water

2 c. long-cooking rice, uncooked

3 (2 oz.) envs. chicken noodle soup mix, uncooked

In a large, deep skillet over medium heat, cook sausage, onion and celery, stirring often to break up sausage.  Drain.  Meanwhile, in a very large stockpot over high heat, bring water to a boil.  Add uncooked rice and soup mix to boiling water; stir well and add sausage mixture.  Stir to mix completely; mixture will be very watery.  Transfer to a greased deep 3-quart casserole dish.  Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven; stir.  Cover and bake an additional 30-40 minutes, until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.  Makes 10-12 servings.  

Jenn's Notes: I made 1/4 batch of this and with two of us eating it, we still had plenty leftover.  I added some red and green diced bell pepper, because I had some in my fridge and peppers make everything better!  

Get Yo' Man Chicken

Get Yo' Man Chicken, huh?  That is quite the name to live up to.  The story goes: Gina used to make this for Pat when she was courting him and says the key to this dish is the scent it gives off while simmering on the stove and the minute your man walks in the house and gets a wiff, it's "game over" and she makes this anytime she needs Pat to come around to her way of thinking, like when he finds that handbag she just splurged on!  

I say . . . Good Luck with that!  I don't think that would work in my house.  This chicken was good, but not get your man to do anything you want good.  It was easy to throw together and I even had all of the ingredients on hand, which is always a plus.  The sauce was flavorful and the chicken was juicy and it pulled apart with very little effort.  I thought it was great over rice.    

Get Yo' Man Chicken

adapted from: The Neeley's
(Printable Recipe)

8 bone-in chicken thighs (or breasts), skins removed

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbl. olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 -2 celery stalks, chopped

1/2 c. white wine (I used chicken broth)

1 c. chicken stock

1 (14.5 oz) can crushed tomatoes

1 Tbl. honey

1 tsp. red-wine vinegar

2 Tbl. chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish

1 Tbl. chopped fresh thyme leaves (I used dried)

1 Tbl. chopped fresh rosemary leaves (I used dried)

hot buttered rice, for serving

Rinse the chicken, pat dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper.  Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Brown the chicken, meat-side down first, and turn once, cooking about 4 minutes on each side.  Transfer to a plate and reserve.  Pour off all but 1 Tablespoon of oil from the pan.  Add the onion and celery to the skillet and saute until tender, about 4 minutes.  Add the stock and wine to the pan and stir, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan; reduce by half, cooking 7-8 minutes.  Stir in the tomatoes, honey, vinegar, parsley, thyme and rosemary and return to a simmer.  Add the chicken, turning to coat, then cover and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is very tender and pulls easily from the bone, about 40 minutes.  Remove the cover, increase the heat to medium and cook for another 10-15 minutes to reduce the sauce.  Serve over hot buttered rice with sauce ladled on top and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.  Serves 4-6.  

Easy BBQ Pulled Pork

Are you still looking for a last minute meal idea to make for Father's Day?  Do you have people coming over and have no idea what to make?  I know this pulled pork would be a hit with adults and kids, not to mention it is so easy to throw together and although my recipe is for a small portion, you can easily make it into a large batch.  This is the perfect way to feed a large crowd.  You could even make this right now if you wanted and re-heat it tomorrow.  It still tastes just as amazing the next day, heck, it might even be better!  Say goodbye to dry and flavorless pork, because this pork is so tender and juicy and it makes my mouth water just thinking about it.

Easy BBQ Pulled Pork

from: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe)

1 1/2 Lbs. boneless country style ribs

1 can beef broth

favorite barbeque sauce

 (we like to mix Sweet Baby Rays and Famous Daves)

Rub:

1 Tbl. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp. dry mustard

1/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. lemon pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

    

Trim pork of any excess fat.  Combine all rub ingredients and rub over every last inch of the pork.  Refrigerate for at least several hours or overnight.  Add pork to a large dutch oven and add the can of beef broth.  Bring up to a simmer, cover, and transfer to a preheated 225 degree oven.  Cook for 1 1/2 hours.  Increase temperature to 300 degrees and cook another 45 minutes - 1 hour or until pork easily pulls apart with a fork.  Transfer pork to a mixing bowl and shred, adding some of the cooking liquid to help it stay juicy.  Stir in barbeque sauce, however much you like.  (We add about 3 Tbl. of the cooking liquid and 1/2 cup of barbeque sauce).  Drain remaining cooking liquid and add the pork back to the pot and keep warm or serve right away on toasted hamburger buns.  Serves 4-5 people.  

You could use a different cut of pork if you like.  A pork shoulder makes great pulled pork, and since those usually come in large sizes, it would work great for a crowd.  It will take a lot longer to cook (8-10 hours in a slow cooker or a few hours less in the oven), so just make sure to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

On The Side

Mom's Macaroni Salad

Awesome Baked Beans

Cheesy Bacon Stuffed Potatoes

For Dessert

Crockpot Hot Fudge Cake with Ice Cream

Grammy's White Sheet Cake

Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream

Rocky Road Brownies