Lemonade Cup Cakes

I was too busy eating mine to take pictures of anything, so here's a picture I stole from the internet.


These were so easy and SO delicious. I might have eaten seven of them in one night.

Ingredients:

1 6oz can of lemonade concentrate, completely thawed (you can use any flavor of lemonade)

1 box white cake mix

1 carton sour cream (8 oz)

3oz. cream cheese, softened (3/8 cup)

3 eggs

1 can frosting (I used rainbow chip and it was super yummy, you could also make your own)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Remove 2 tablespoons of the concentrate and throw it away (or make a little glass of lemonade)

3. Combine remaining concentrate with the rest of the ingredients (don't follow the cake mix recipe on the back of the box, just use the dry stuff in the bag and don't add water/oil/whatever else)

4. Spoon into the cupcake pan prepared with liners. Make them pretty full because these don't rise much

5. Bake for 20 minutes 

6. Cool

7. Frost

8. Eat as many as you can

They are pretty tart/sweet, but also really addicting. So make them for all your friends/family/husbands/mission companions/roommates/potential suitors/visiting teachies so you don't eat them all by yourself because I ate too many and then my mouth felt weird. 

Busy/Quiet Book

Well, it's official. I am the best aunt ever. Check out this rather spectacular activity book I made for my nephew. Click here.

Cake Batter Rice Crispies

Beautiful, are they not? They're easy and yummy and you should make them right now. 

Cake Batter Crispy Treats
original recipe on the back of the cereal box!
3 tablespoons butter
1 10-ounce bag of mini marshmallows
1/4 cup yellow cake mix
6 cups rice krispies cereal
1 1.75-ounce container of sprinkles
Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat and add marshmallows. Stir until they begin to melt, adding in cake mix one spoonful at a time so its combined. Stir in cereal so it is completely coated with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle in half of the sprinkles and mix. Press into a baking dish (any size will do) and top with remaining sprinkles. Let sit for about 30 minutes before cutting. I find spraying a knife with nonstick spray helps to cut them.

That blue stuff on top is chocolate. Apparently they sell colored chocolate that can be melted in the microwave at JoAnne's. It's delicious. I just poured it into a zip-lock baggie and cut the end off and made that oh so lovely design...

They taste good. That's all that matters. 

The Best Sweet and Sour Chicken EVER!

Ok so i found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to give it a try. Well let's just say it was a huge success! Greg and I love it! It is from a blog that has become one of my favorite. Her recipe actually says to make fried rice, which I will probably make someday, but we just use steamed white rice. Hopefully you will all enjoy this as much as we do. The best part is that it is baked, so it is a lot more healthy for you than if you were to deep fry the chicken. ENJOY!

Baked Sweet and Sour Chicken

The chicken coating:

3-4 boneless chicken breasts

salt + pepper

1 cup cornstarch (We use flour because we do not have cornstarch and it worked great!)

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup canola oil

The sweet and sour sauce:

3/4 cup sugar

4 tbs ketchup

1/2 cup distilled white vinegar

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tsp garlic salt

       Start by preheating your oven to 325 degrees. Rinse your chicken breasts in water and then cut into cubes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat then dip into the eggs.  Heat your 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet and cook your chicken until browned but not cooked through. Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased baking dish. Mix all of your sweet and sour sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour evenly over the chicken. Bake for one hour and during the baking process you will need to turn the chicken every 15 minutes. 

Here is the fried rice recipe if you would like to try it. 

Fried Rice                                                                                             

3 cups cooked white rice (day old or leftover rice works best!)

3 tbs sesame oil

1 cup frozen peas and carrots (thawed)

1 small onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1/4 cup soy sauce

      On medium high heat, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok.  Add the peas/carrots mix, onion and garlic. Stir fry until tender. Lower the heat to medium low and push the mixture off to one side, then pour your eggs on the other side of skillet and stir fry until scrambled. Now add the rice and soy sauce and blend all together well. Stir fry until thoroughly heated!   **You could really play around with this rice too! Try adding some diced ham, or green onion :) Yum!  

Friday Night Shennanigans, 3 C's Style

Kevin and Chelsie carving pumpkins

Sam making pumpkin cinnamon rolls. She didn't know this was going on the interweb. Heh.

I made pasta. Please excuse the crazed look, I'd just woken up from a nap, as per usual.


Why do we never use this blog anymore? Look how cute we are!

Brussel sprouts aren't actually gross.

Who knew, eh?

So as you know, when you get a lovely bountiful basket filled with delicious fruits and veggies you occasionally end up with weird melons you've never heard of or vegetables you haven't actually ever eaten in your life and could possibly be allergic to... Nevertheless, as a recipient of some fine looking Brussels sprouts I considered them a challenge! So I found this recipe, followed it, and discovered that Brussels sprouts aren't as gross as you've always heard (unless overcooked, then they are yucky).

Take it away Martha Stewart...

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

This delicious seasonal vegetable becomes sweet and nutty when browned. For the best flavor and texture, make the dish just before serving.

Everyday Food, November 2009

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pints brussels sprouts (2 pounds total), trimmed and halved lengthwise
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add brussels sprouts, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup water and cook until evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

DEEP. DARK. Chocolate cookies.

Well, I guess you could say me and Todd are pretty domestic. These are gluten and dairy-free, which means I can eat them. For those of you who don't  know yet, I've been "diagnosed" with a dairy and a gluten allergy. For those of you who also don't know yet, Todd is an eligible bachelor and very domestic. Anyways, we haven't actually eaten the baked ones yet cause they're not done, but the batter is really really X1209578709856382 delicious.

And we got the recipe from pinterest who got it from  http://www.divine-baking.com/2011/04/deep-dark-chocolate-cookies.html#more .

Deep Dark Chocolate Cookies

Adapted From Epicurious

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
1 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (about 9 ounces), divided 
3 large egg whites, room temperature 
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, divided (I used 2 cups)
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 large baking sheets with nonstick spray. Melt 1 cup chocolate chips in glass bowl in microwave, stirring twice, about 2 minutes. Cool slightly.

Using electric mixer, beat whites in large bowl to soft peaks. Gradually beat in 1 (I halved the sugar here) cup sugar. Continue beating until mixture resembles soft marshmallow creme.

Whisk 1 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. On low speed, beat dry ingredients into meringue. 

Stir in lukewarm chocolate and 1/2 cup chocolate chips (dough will become very stiff).

Place 1/2 cup sugar in bowl. Roll 1 rounded tablespoon dough into ball; roll in sugar, coating thickly. Place on prepared sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing 2 inches apart.

Bake until puffed and tops crack, about 10 minutes. Cool on sheets on rack 10 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool.

Yield: Makes about 18

** Update: We just ate them. And I think this allergy is going to be alright. Need I say more?