dessert

Creamy Chocolate Pudding

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Chocolate PuddingI hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with joy and happiness. And turkey. And mashed potatoes. And pie…certainly can’t forget the pie! Since we’re already on the topic of dessert, let’s talk pudding.

Boxed pudding is one of those mysterious things in life. Just about everyone who has made pudding in the past 50 years or so is bound to have made the stuff. It’s ridiculously simple to make…add some milk, mix, and refrigerate. Voilà! It’s done and ready to eat. Way too simple to even *think* about making your own. That’s where you’re wrong! I thought the same thing! It’s definitely not hard from what I have experienced.

Chocolate PuddingWhile my husband and I were devouring this pudding, he asked why we never made pudding from scratch before because it was so simple. Seriously…why hadn’t we? Besides just defaulting to the boxed stuff, probably because I had been brainwashed into thinking it would be the hardest thing in the world to make…that’s why. So stop being brainwashed by horror stories of homemade pudding gone wrong and give it a try.

Chocolate PuddingYou’re not convinced yet, are you? Well take a look at the ingredients. Nothing in there is the slightest bit scary. Sugar. Cocoa powder. Milk. Eggs. Butter. Need I continue?? I even had most everything in my pantry or refrigerator already! WIN!

For those of you that are on board with me, great. For those of you that are STILL not convinced, let me tell you how rich and creamy and smooth this pudding is. Not only that, but it has so much depth of flavor that the boxed stuff covers up with who knows what. You will be shocked and amazed at the deep chocolate flavor. Shocked and amazed. Doesn’t that sound awesome?

Chocolate PuddingThat’s all I have, folks. If you aren’t convinced, I am sorry for your loss of delicious pudding in your life. At least I can say I tried.

Creamy Chocolate Pudding
Serves 4
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Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
3 hr 30 min
Prep Time
20 min
Total Time
3 hr 30 min
Ingredients
  1. 2/3 cup sugar
  2. 1/4 cup cornstarch
  3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  4. 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  5. 2 1/2 cups whole milk
  6. 3 large egg yolks
  7. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into cubes
  8. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  9. whipped cream, optional
Instructions
  1. Whisk sugar, cornstarch, salt, and cocoa in a saucepan, off heat. Very gradually add the milk, whisking continuously, until the dry mixture is completely incorporated. Whisk in the egg yolks.
  2. Heat over medium heat, whisking continuously, until the first large bubble forms and pops. Reduce the heat to low and whisk for 1 more minute.
  3. Remove from heat and immediately pour through sieve into medium sized bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla until incorporated.
  4. Place plastic wrap directly on the surface (to prevent a skin from forming) and chill for 3 hours to 3 days.
  5. Whisk before serving. Serve with whipped cream.
Notes
  1. I topped my pudding with whipped cream. Pretty much a must. I also shaved a little bit of chocolate on top then chopped up some leftover mint chocolate patty Halloween candy to garnish. YUM!
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Adapted from Martha Stewart
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Sour Cream Banana Bread

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Banana BreadIt’s not Christmas yet. In fact, it’s not even Thanksgiving. However, it snowed so much yesterday in Michigan that it sure feels more like Christmas than Thanksgiving. I’m talking multiple inches of snow, not just a dusting. Yes, I’m from the Midwest and am used to snow. No, we don’t usually get that much here this early.

Since it feels and looks like Christmas, I think it’s okay for me to talk about Christmas. **But for the record, I’m not a fan of the whole Christmas decoration thing immediately after Halloween**. Too soon. Too soon.

Banana BreadEvery Christmas Eve my extended family usually gathers together for dinner and fun. We tend to make and bring WAY too many cookies as a group to this celebration. We always end up with WAY too many leftover cookies that most of us cannot eat. However, I’m pretty sure my husband is a cookie eating machine at Christmas time so he helps the situation slightly.

Anyways, to help with the cookie overload, a few years back my mom started making mini loaves of bread for everyone to take home instead of sending them home with extra cookies. Not only delicious, but they are also perfect for a Christmas morning breakfast or brunch! When I asked my mom for the banana bread recipe she uses, she couldn’t find it!! Panic!! It’s possible she is hiding her recipe so she’s the only one that can make it but I’m pretty sure she probably just left the recipe with her mini loaf pans somewhere in the Christmas boxes. She’ll probably call me in a week with her recipe.

Banana BreadRegardless of whether this is THE banana bread recipe or not, this is sure to make your stomach happy. The cinnamon sugar coating on the pan is GENIUS! So much better than a flour coating. I made mine as full loaf pans but you can also reduce the cooking time to make smaller pans! Wrap them up and hand them out at Christmas. Everyone will love it!

Banana Bread

Sour Cream Banana Bread
Yields 2
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
1 hr 30 min
Total Time
1 hr 40 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
1 hr 30 min
Total Time
1 hr 40 min
To coat the pans
  1. 1/4 cup sugar
  2. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  3. cooking spray
For the banana bread
  1. 3/4 cup butter
  2. 2 cups white sugar
  3. 1 cup brown sugar
  4. 3 eggs
  5. 6 ripe bananas, mashed
  6. 1 container sour cream (16 ounces)
  7. 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  8. 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  9. 4 1/2 cups flour
  10. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  11. 3 teaspoons baking soda
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Spray 2 loaf pans (mine were 9" x 5") with cooking spray. Mix together 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Dust the loaf pans with the cinnamon and sugar mixture, making sure to cover the bottom and sides.
  3. Cream the butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the eggs, bananas, sour cream, vanilla, and cinnamon.
  4. Stir in the flour, salt, and baking soda until just incorporated.
  5. Divide batter into the 2 loaf pans. *Optional: sprinkle a little white sugar on top to give a slight crunch to the top.
  6. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf.
  7. Remove bread from loaf pans and let cool on wire rack. To store, wrap in aluminum foil.
Notes
  1. I froze one of my loafs because they are so large. They freeze and thaw very well! You can also make this recipe with 4 smaller loaf pans (7" x 3"). If you use smaller pans, adjust the baking time to about an hour, then check with a toothpick to see if they are done.
Adapted from All Recipes | Banana Sour Cream Bread
Adapted from All Recipes | Banana Sour Cream Bread
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Pumpkin Roll

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A couple of weeks ago Travis’ parents came up to Michigan to enjoy some time together. We ended up at a corn maze, which was so much fun! Travis basically has a map in his brain at all times so despite the many turns we took, we (as a group) did not end up lost. I was lost pretty much the moment we got into the maze…I wish that was a lie but it’s not. I will be the first to admit that I am directionally challenged. Good thing I married someone with a map in their brain. Makes life less stressful on my end.

Anyways, my mother-in-law brought me a pie pumpkin that had to made into something! First step…pumpkin purée. Easy peasy. When I asked what I should do with the pumpkin purée, my husband practically shouted “PUMPKIN ROLL.” That may be a slight exaggeration but it was a very quick response. He must have already been prepared for that question.

The most wonderful thing about pumpkin roll like this one is that it actually gets better the longer it sits. So you can make it a few days in advance and it will be better than right after you make it! *AWESOME*. I like to think the time the cake and frosting/filling sit together in the fridge gives them time to become friends. That’s probably weird.

Whether you eat this an hour after you make it or 3 days after you make it, be prepared for some yumminess. It’s like fall encompassed in a perfect little package. Just make it. Seriously.

Pumpkin Roll
Serves 8
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Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
1 hr
Prep Time
45 min
Cook Time
15 min
Total Time
1 hr
For the cake
  1. 3 eggs
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 2/3 cup pumpkin purée
  4. 3/4 cup flour
  5. 1 teaspoon baking soda
  6. 1 teaspoons cinnamon
  7. 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  8. 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  9. 1/4 teaspoon ginger powder
  10. 1/4 teaspoon salt
  11. 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to roll the cake in, see directions)
For the frosting
  1. 1 package cream cheese (8 ounces), softened
  2. 5 tablespoons butter, softened
  3. 1 cup powdered sugar
  4. 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease an 11x17 jelly roll pan and line with parchment paper. Grease and lightly flour the parchment paper.
  2. Beat together the eggs and sugar. Mix in the pumpkin purée.
  3. In a separate bowl, blend the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt. Add to wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
  4. Pour into prepared jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes, or until the center springs back when pressed.
  5. Sprinkle powdered sugar liberally over kitchen towel. When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately turn onto the towel, remove the parchment paper, and roll up with the towel inside. Let cool for 30 minutes.
For the frosting
  1. Beat together all the frosting ingredients.
To prepare
  1. Unroll the cake, spread the frosting in an even layer, and roll back into a log.
  2. Wrap with parchment paper then foil. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.
Notes
  1. If you use a smaller pan to bake the cake in, you may have to bake slightly longer until the edges start to stiffen and the middle of the cake feels done. You can easily freeze this once it is rolled into a log and wrapped up. Before serving, place in the fridge for at least 1-2 hours to defrost.
Adapted from Libby's
Adapted from Libby's
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

 

 

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

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Whipped Buttercream FrostingIt’s almost my Dad’s birthday! Happy almost birthday Dad! It only makes sense that my family celebrated back in early September…Turns out it’s hard for all of us to get together the more of us there are and the further we move away. Nonetheless, we did get together and have an awesome pre-birthday birthday celebration!

process1No birthday would be complete without cake or cupcakes! This frosting was perfect with the chocolate cake I made. Yummm. The frosting on the chocolate cake was originally supposed to be cream cheese whipped cream frosting. I had made it before and it was OUT OF THIS WORLD! Apparently I forgot how to make it because I ended up with cream cheese whipped cream soup instead. Major fail. Maybe someday I will be brave enough to try and make that frosting again.

fin2Until that day comes, you can’t really go wrong with the classic buttercream recipe! It’s creamy and rich. Perfect for any cake or cupcake. This one is vanilla flavored but you can also add other extracts as well (lemon, almond, mint…just to name a few!) to make it your own! Just think of the endless combinations of frosting and cakes…Oh that makes me excited to try new combinations! Comment if you come up with a good cake/frosting combinations!

Whipped Buttercream Frosting
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Prep Time
10 min
Prep Time
10 min
Ingredients
  1. 1 cup room temperature butter
  2. 3- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  3. 1 teaspoon vanilla
  4. pinch of salt
  5. 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
  1. Mix butter with whisk attachment in mixer until smooth and creamy.
  2. Add 3 cups powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Start the mixer on low then mix on high for 2-3 minutes. If the frosting is not thick enough, or not to your preference, add another 1/2 cup of sugar.
  3. Add 2 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream and mix on high for 1-2 more minutes.
Notes
  1. Do NOT skip the heavy whipping cream (you can use milk if you do not have cream but the cream makes it richer). You will be shocked how this last step really lightens the frosting and makes it fluffier and whiter.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/

Blueberry Crumble Muffins & DIY Muffin Liners

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Blueberry Crumble MuffinsThis recipe is a must at least once a summer with fresh blueberries. At LEAST. Most likely more than once. You’ll totally understand when you try it. I know. I know. It’s technically Fall now but this is my end of the season, last hurrah for blueberries before they cost a million dollars a pint. Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration. We’ll go with half a million dollars.

Blueberry Crumble MuffinsThe recipe originated from a blueberry buckle (kind of like a cake) from my grandma. I’ve already made the buckle form this summer so it was time to switch it up into muffin form! These muffins are the perfect way to make this recipe seem like breakfast material. Oh, don’t get me wrong…I would definitely eat it for breakfast in buckle form too but muffins just seem more socially acceptable.

process-combined2

Muffins are great because they are easy to share and serve. They can also be a grab and go food but that would just be wrong with these muffins. Spend some time enjoying them. Seriously.

Notice my fancy muffin liners?? You know that part of the recipe where you’re supposed to use a muffin or cupcake liner and you realize you completely forgot to buy them? That only happens to me about every time I make a muffin or cupcake. Literally. Every time. It’s like my brain doesn’t register the fact that I need them. Weird. So I make my own!

liner-comboIt’s a seriously simple solution to your muffin liner woes. All you need is some parchment paper and a pair of scissors. Just cut your parchment into squares that are about 5 inches by 5 inches. This is not a science. Measure if you must but really just make sure they are a couple inches bigger than the diameter of the muffin tin cup. Press the parchment paper in each muffin tin cup, folding to press in. This for sure takes some finagling. You can use a can or cup that fits in the muffin tin cup to push the paper down into the bottom. I, however, usually take the more rustic approach of pressing and then frantically filling the liner with batter to hold it down. You can either choose the more refined method or my method. Either way, you end up with a DIY muffin liner! It adds a bit of charm to your cupcakes or muffins and it’s super cheap too. Yay!

fin1

 

Blueberry Crumble Muffins
Yields 12
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Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Prep Time
10 min
Cook Time
30 min
Ingredients for the muffins
  1. 3/4 cup sugar
  2. 1/4 cup butter
  3. 1 egg
  4. 1/2 cup milk
  5. 2 cups flour
  6. 2 teaspoons baking powder
  7. 1/2 teaspoon salt
  8. 2 cups blueberries
Ingredients for the crumble topping
  1. 1/2 cup sugar
  2. 1/3 cup flour
  3. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  4. 1/4 cup soft butter
Directions for the muffins
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  2. Cream 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and egg with mixer. Stir in milk.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk or sift together 2 cups flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir into wet ingredients until just combined.
  4. Gently stir in blueberries.
  5. Divide batter into lined muffin tin (12 muffins). The muffins will come almost to the top of the liners.
Directions for the crumble topping
  1. Mix together all the crumble ingredients until the butter is distributed into pea size pieces throughout.
  2. Top each muffin with crumble topping.
  3. Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
  1. This originated as a blueberry buckle. Also AMAZING! To make this follow the same recipe, spreading the batter into a greased and floured 9 inch square pan. Top with the crumble topping and bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  2. Delicious with fresh blueberries but you can use frozen blueberries that are completely drained of any liquid as well.
Flavor From Scratch https://www.flavorfromscratch.com/
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