• Food

    Gluten Free Banana and Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Baking – ohh, how I have missed you. Ever since earlier this year when we learned my youngest son Beckett had food allergies (the most serious being gluten), I’ve put my baking on hold. Weekends used to mean homemade muffins and pancakes and biscuits, but trying these things without regular flour was more hassle than I felt like dealing with. It was unknown territory, and frankly with the baby, I didn’t have much time for experimenting. But a few weeks ago I wanted real pancakes and so I googled “how to substitute gluten free flour for regular flour” and was amazed by what I found – it’s actually pretty simple. Add…

  • Food

    Good ‘ole Chocolate Chip Cookies!

    I get so excited when Brogan wants to cook with me, so the other evening when Brogan asked if we could make chocolate chip cookies, I said sure! So I changed dinner plans and made beanie weenies so that we’d have time to bake… it’s just fun to mix it up every once in a while! I got brave with this recipe and decided to make it up on the fly. You see, I started really baking about a year ago, and I had always been curious about the science of baking and unconfident in my abilities to wing it like I can when I’m cooking. But a year’s worth…

  • Food

    Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

    I decided to take my new mini-loaf pan for a spin this morning with a new recipe. The three browning bananas on my counter have been calling my name but I thought I’d go for something other than your standard banana bread. And as I was thinking about bananas, old memories of peanut butter, banana and honey sandwiches came to me, and so that was my inspiration for this bread. I added chocolate chips, because well, I like chocolate, so why not? The bread turned out really good. It’s moist, it’s heavy, and rich, and the peanut butter makes it stick to the roof of your mouth. My little taste-testers…

  • Food,  Holidays

    S’mores Cookies & Ginger Snaps

    Every year around the holidays I have this list of things I’d like to do during the season. And one thing that is always on my list is to make Christmas cookies. To me, Christmas cookies don’t have to be decorated just so, but there have to be enough to share. And ideally, I’d put them in bags, tie pretty bows on them and give them to my neighbors. Well, it liked to kill me, but mission accomplished! I have to thank Brogan for this feat, because first thing this morning, he started asking for us to make cookies. Since the hub’s new job means he works every weekend, anything…

  • Holidays

    Day 5 – Chocolate War

    So our elf got into a little chocolate combat with some of his friends last night… While initially excited, when Brogan discovered that Max had used all of his Oreos to build his fortress, he was slightly miffed. Oops. Click here to see what else our elf has done this year.

  • Food

    Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

    Pumpkin and chocolate – the perfect combination.  I made these muffins for breakfast this morning and between the smell of these fabulous things baking in the oven and fresh brewed coffee, my house smelled like a pumpkin spice latte. Yum.  This is the perfect muffin to kick off the fall with – moist and sweet with the perfect amount of both pumpkin and chocolate, a totally decadent treat.  Happy fall y’all! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins 3 cups all-purpose flour 2 tsp baking powder 4 eggs 2 1/2 cups sugar 1 14.5-oz can pumpkin 3/4 cup oil 1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda 2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp nutmeg 1/2…

  • Food

    Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

    We love cookies at my house – especially Brogan.  He loves to help make them, and he loves to help eat them even more.  Double chocolate chip has recently become my favorite cookie, and so I’ve been trying different recipes in search of the perfect one – for me, this one is it!  They are chocolaty and chewy and it is hard to eat just one.  The perfect accompaniment to tall glass of milk.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we do! Double Chocolate Chip Cookies 1 1/4 cup unsalted butter 2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 2 tsp vanilla 2 cups flour 3/4 cup cocoa powder 1 tsp…

  • Food

    Chocolate Cupcakes with Cookie Dough Frosting

    I decided to do some more experimenting with cupcakes last weekend (yes, I’m behind on the food posting!)  The chocolate cupcake was basic, but the star of this show was the cookie dough frosting!  I found this on Pinterest and had to try it out – success!  It is definitely not your typical frosting – it is exactly like chocolate chip cookie dough without the eggs. I modified the recipe slightly – I opted for a little less flour.  Next time I make it, I will add a little white sugar too to sweeten it up a little more.  These were a great variation from your standard cupcake icing, especially…