Carrot Cake Fudge

Happy Easter Everyone,

I wanted to share a quick recipe with you today for Layered Carrot Cake Fudge. A great treat to share with your family and friends this lovely Easter Sunday.

Here's what you will need:

For Carrot Cake Fudge:

-  4 Tbsp. butter

-  3 Cups white chocolate chips

-  1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

-  1 Cups dry carrot cake mix

-  ½ Cup marshmallow cream

For Cream Cheese Fudge:

-  ¾ Cup cream cheese frosting

-  1 Cup white chocolate chips

-  2 Tbsp. marshmallow cream

Instructions:

Line 2 8x8 pans with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large pan melt 4 Tbsp butter, 3 Cups white chocolate chips and can of condensed milk. Stir until smooth.

Stir in dry cake mix a scoop at time until thoroughly combined.

Pour into pan and refrigerate at least 1 hour.

While carrot cake fudge is refrigerating melt 1 Cup white chocolate chips.

Once white chocolate chips are melted stir in cream cheese frosting and marshmallow cream.

Pour over carrot cake layer and chill at least 1 hour before cutting.

Cut into approximately 40-50 squares.

Enjoy!

**BONUS!! **

You can use boxed carrot cake mix but if you love carrot cake as much as we do in my house (carrot cake is Michael's favorite) then in spring you can keep ball jars of the wet and dry ingredients on hand in the fridge. I make large quantities and keep them in the fridge; they also make great gifts with a recipe card attached. I use my homemade carrot cake mix to make my fudge.

* Recipe below is so that you're always ready to go for any unexpected moments in life :) Great for when guests stop over for coffee. Bakes in a half hour and is fun to mix and talk. 

Dry Mix:

-  2 Cups all-purpose flour

-  2 Cups sugar

-  2 tsp. baking soda

- ½ tsp. salt

- 2 tsp. ground cinnamon

- 2 Cup grated carrot drained

- 1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapples drained

- 1 (3.5 oz) can flaked coconut

- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Wet Mix

- 3 large eggs

- ¾ Cup vegetable oil

- ¾ Cup buttermilk

- 2 tsp vanilla extract

To make carrot cake, mix 7 ½ Cups dry ingredients with eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla in electric mixer at medium speed until blended.

Line three 8 x 8 cake pans with parchment paper.

Pour batter into cake pans.

Bake cakes at 350 for 25-30 min.

Cool in pans on wire racks for 15 min and then remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks.

Use cream cheese frosting between layers as you stack cakes. Frost top and sides of cake and enjoy.

Thank you for visiting! I would love to hear how you like the carrot cake and the fudge. 

From Megan With Love

Crescent Candy Cookies

Hello Again,

I have a super simple, super yummy recipe to share with you again. I used Rolo in the recipe because Mom and I love them so much and this is something fun we do together at Christmas. You can substitute your favorite candy inside, Mike loves when I make them with Reese's cups.

You will need:

1 or 2 tubes of Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 bag of Rolo (or your favorite candy)

Cream Cheese frosting 

Instructions:

Pop open the tube of crescent rolls and separate them into the usual triangles

Unwrap same number of Rolo's

Place one Rolo on an individual crescent triangle and roll it up the same way you would a crescent

Repeat until you have made all rolls

Bake as directed on crescent package

Once the crescents have cooled down enough you can frost them and ENJOY!

These are super quick and easy to make and great for children to help roll. 

I would love to hear what you think or what your favorite easy cookie recipe is. 

From Megan With Love

Blueberry Cheesecake Muffins

Hello Everyone Happy Friday!

Today I want to bring you the most delicious muffin's in the WORLD! (okay, maybe not the world but pretty darn close.) The cream cheese just makes these muffin so moist and crumbly and full of goodness. 

Ingredients:

Batter

- 1 ½ Cup Blueberries Fresh or Frozen - Note: I like to use frozen and then chop them into quarters

- 1 ½ Cup All Purpose Flour

- ¾ Cup Sugar - Note: I like to bake with all natural sugar alternatives to keep everyone in the offices new year’s resolutions on track.

- ½ Teaspoon Salt

- 2 Teaspoon Baking Powder

- 1/3 Cup Melted Butter

- 1 Large Egg

- 1/3 Cup Milk - Tip: I like to bake with Buttermilk

- ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

Filling

- 1 8oz Package of Cream Cheese

- ¼ Cup Sugar

Optional 

 - 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar

-Fresh Blueberries for top

Directions

- Preheat oven to 400 F

- Line muffin tin with liners

- Mix muffin dry ingredients in large bowl (without the blueberries) combine and cream wet ingredients about 2 minutes.  Tip: use a glass measuring cup to heat butter in the microwave in ten second intervals until melted

-  Combine cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl about 2 minutes until creamy. Tip: use a glass measuring cup to heat cream cheese in the microwave in ten second intervals until it begins to get soft

- Fold blueberries into batter just enough to toss blueberries in batter, be sure not to over mix

- Fill liner in muffin tin ¼ of the way with batter

- Spoon 2 teaspoon filling into center of tin

- Cover filling with remaining batter until ¾ full in tin

** It is optional to sprinkle brown sugar and fresh blueberries on the tops of the muffins before baking **

- Bake 17-22 minutes until golden brown

- Remove from oven and place tin onto cooling rack about 10 minutes

- Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool on cooling rack until they reach room temperature.

Enjoy! Leftovers (if there are any) can be kept in the refrigerator and rewarmed before serving.

**BONUS!!**

If you are running super late or need a last minute recipe and do not have the time to bake from scratch you can follow the same recipe with batter made from pre-made muffin mix. 

 Have a great weekend and please let me  know if you made the muffins or any other recipe you would like to share. I just love to hear your thoughts on my recipes. 

From Megan With Love!

Thai Lime Slaw

Happy Friday all,

Today's recipe is a super simple Thai Lime slaw. We call it the kreepy tiki slaw in my house because we make it for barbecues and Mike puts it on pork sliders. I am a vegetarian who eats chicken so I have had it on BBQ chicken sliders but I like to make it to eat as a snack or a meal. This dish is amazing and healthy at the same time (so no breaking those new years resolutions.) Works as great side dish or add a protein to have it as a stand alone meal. I swear it takes 5 minutes to make and will save your life when you're in a pinch.

Ingredients

1/2 cup light mayo

2 Tbsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. plum sauce

2 Tbsp. lime juice

1 Tbsp. soy or teriyaki sauce

1 Bag of Broccoli slaw 

 Directions

- In a small bowl whisk mayo, sesame oil, lime juice, plum sauce, and soy sauce.

- In a large bowl empty bag of broccoli slaw.

- Pour dressing over broccoli slaw and toss salad. 

** Pulled chicken can be added to make a main course dish and rice noodles or toasted almonds make a tasty compliment when sprinkled as a topping.

Slaw and dressing can be stored separately and mixed for individual servings or in large portions as a side dish. 

Bon Appetit! Thank you for visiting! I would love to hear how you like the slaw.

From Megan With Love

New Year Sangria

As the year comes to an end and we are all getting ready for that awesome New Years party, I have a recipe that is sure to make your party full of happiness.

So dust off that good ol' punch bowl and get to slicin... this recipe is sure to put some spice in the new year *wink* 

 

Ingredients

1 Bottle of Red Wine (Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Zinfandel, Rioja) **

1 Cup of St-Germain **

2 Fresh Peaches washed, pitted, and cut into thin slices*

1 Carton Fresh Stawberries*

1 Carton Fresh Raspberries*

1 Carton Fresh Blackberries*

1 Carton Fresh Blueberries*

Instructions

Place wine and fruit in a pan and bring to a boil.

Lower to a simmer for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in St-Germain.

Pour into serving pitcher and refrigerate over night.

When ready to serve give a good stir and serve chilled over ice. 

* Merely Suggestions. All ingredients listed in the recipe are estimates. Add or subtract according to your taste. Be creative!

** For non alcoholic Sangria remove wine and St-Germain and replace with bottle of 100% grape juice.

Tip: I used a Sweet Shiraz and chilled in Ball Mason Jars. They make great hostess gifts or presents during the holiday season. Just print a little tag with the ingredients and use a ribbon to tie it around the jar. I like to put fabric scrap circles around the tops on mine. 

Happy New Years from Me, to all of you!! May 2013 be filled with happiness, family and friends. Cheers!

From Megan With Love

Ginger Monkey Bread

Hello there friends,

So Christmas is right around the corner and you may be running around like a chicken without a head trying to figure out what to feed your family and friends. Well I am here to save the day!

Try out this recipe for a new twist on this holiday classic. It is "Ginger" Monkey Bread. Get it... (I'm a third generation redhead.)

Ingredients

1 Packet of Active Dry Yeast 

1 Teaspoon Sugar

1/3 Cup Warm Water

2 Sticks Unsalted Butter

1 Cup Milk (I use Whole)

1/4 Cup Molasses

3 1/4 Cup All Purpose Flour

2 Teaspoon Salt

2 Teaspoon Ginger

2 Teaspoon Cinnamon

1/2 Teaspoon Ground Cloves

1/4 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg

1/4 Cup Flour for Counter

1 Cup of Dark Brown Sugar

Mixing Instructions

In a small bowl mix 1 packet of yeast, 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/3 cup warm water and set aside for 10 minutes until it starts to get foamy

In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter, milk, and molasses and set aside

In a bowl (I use a stand mixer) use a fork to combine flour, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg

Mix while slowly adding molasses and then yeast mixture

The dough will be sticky and stick to the bottom of bowl, if too wet use flour set aside for counter to one pinch at a time until dough is manageable, dough should look smooth

Knead dough on lightly floured surface and form into ball

Place ball into bowl and place in warm spot to rise until ball doubles in size, can take from 1-2 hours

Butter Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons of softened butter 

Place two shallow pans on the counter and place brown sugar in one and 1 stick melted butter in other

Take small pieces of risen dough in hand and roll into balls about 1 inch round

One at a time dip balls into butter and roll in brown sugar

Place in layers into Bundt pan

Cover pan with plastic wrap and allow to rise 1 more hour in warm place

Preheat over to 350 degrees

The balls will be puffy and come to about an inch under the top of the pan

Bake monkey bread for 30-35 minutes until golden brown

Remove from oven and cool 5 minutes then invert onto plate and allow cake to cool in pan another 5-10 minutes until you can remove from pan

Now pour yourself a nice cup of coffee or hot chocolate and enjoy this delicious treat (guilt-free cuz I said so!)

Merry Christmas!

From Megan With Love

Mini Bundt Brownies

Hello Everyone!

In honor of the holiday season I have a delicious recipe for you to impress with at your next holiday party. Trust me when we say that this recipe will make you the talk of the holiday party scene.

So get those mini bundt pans ready for...

Ingredients

-5 Sticks of Butter

-5 Cups of Sugar

-3 Cups of Unsweetened Dutch Cocoa Powder

-1 Teaspoon Salt

-2 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

-8 Cold Large Eggs

-2 Cups All-Purpose Flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Double boil butter, sugar, cocoa, and salt in a large glass bowl stir until butter is melted and remove from heat

Stir in vanilla

Stir in one egg at a time; alternate adding flour and eggs

Stir about 50 strokes until batter looks shiny

Bake 25-30 minutes until toothpick comes out almost clean

 Yummmmm....

 Please share with me your favorite holiday recipes.

From Megan With Love

Jelly Jar Apple Pies

Hello All,

So everyone has been asking me for years for the recipe for my Jelly Jar Apple Pies. They are the perfect size to bring or give as gifts. And in the spirit of the holidays I am finally willing to give it up.  

Believe me when I say that these pies truly are delicious.

Jelly jar apple pies are great for the upcoming holidays as well as a back up for unexpected guests. Just store in the freezer and pop them in the oven when guests arrive and you will all be eating personal homemade pies in no time. Your friends and family will think you're a regular Betty Crocker.

Note: when going from freezer to oven I like to just place the jars in the oven as while I pre-heat. This will help prevent the glass from popping. 

Now for the recipe:

Crust:

-7 1/2 cups of flour

-3 tsp salt

-3 tsp sugar

-6 sticks butter (cold)

-2 1/2 cups ice water

Directions for crust:

-Wisk dry ingredients together

-Add butter cubes and mix by hand adding water S L O W L Y

-By now crust should be crumbly in texture. Place towel over dough and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Filling:

-1 dozen apples cut into 1/2 cubes

-4 tbsp butter melted

-2 cups brown sugar

-4 tbsp cornstarch

-4 tsp cinnamon

-dash of salt

-1/4 cup apple cider

Directions:

-Place rack on the center of the oven and pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

-Mix filling ingredients and simmer over medium heat until filling reduces

-Take dough out of fridge flatten out dough.

-Use lid of jar to cut out circles of dough.

-Press dough into jar along the bottom and sides

-Spoon filling into jars

-Use remaining dough to top pies as desired (leave room to close jar with lids if desired)

-Bake on baking sheet at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

ENJOY!

P.S. If you worry about jars popping in heat you can preheat the jars before filling  by placing them in a pan with hot water but if you are buying jars made for canning purposes you should not have this problem. I like to put the rings back on the tops once the jars have cooled. I think they look nice. When I put the jars in the fridge or freezer I put the disk lids on . 

This recipe is just for my apple version but I also make these in cherry and blueberry. 

I would love to hear about your experience making these or pictures of how they come out. 

From Megan With Love