Friday's Scoop 1/11/13

A trail marker I passed. :) 

It is Friday? Say what? I don't know about you, but I have all my days of the week mixed up. I think I had to tell myself it was Friday at least three times today. Oi vey! Please tell me some of you are just as confused as I am!

1. First off I will share a few pictures from my recent vacation! It was so relaxing and much needed! Have you vacationed anywhere recently? Do you have any recommendations for vacation spots?

Glass Molds from Simon Pearce
I saw one of the glass blowers make a drinking glass, it was incredible! 

Also I learned that the movies lied, snowshoes do not make you float on the surface of snow.  

I had some of the best pizza I have ever had in my life!
I love me some super thin crust and lots of cheese! 

Maybe I will do a complete vacation post, would you like that? Or should I stick to recipes?

2. So... I went to Target today and I saw this:

Vanilla cupcake flavored Goldfish? Say what? Eww! Then tonight I was in CVS and saw this:

I did not even bother to take a whiff! I think these companies should just stick to what they do best cheddar goldfish and coffee cake, respectively.

3. I just want to apologize because I feel like my recent posts have not been very interesting lately. I feel like my writing just has not been flowing, but I don't know why. Anyone know a good remedy for writers block? I could really use one, mmkay, thanks!

4. Have you heard of Ruzzle? I heard about it from Brown Eyed Baker and decided to check it out. She had said that she was a fan of word games, and I share in her sentiments, my favorite games are from the puzzle section. Anyways, Ruzzle, its super speedy and really addicting! There is just one problem, you have to wait for someone to accept/challenge a game, which can feel like forever if you are on a streak! Try it out! My username is mollycakesbr , come challenge me!

5. My Favorite Bookmarks of the Week

• Cocoa-Oat-Peanut Butter Cookies by Bake at 350 Have you ever checked out Bridget's blog? She is one of the funniest bloggers I have come across, oh and she has some pretty awesome recipes. I think these would be a great thing to keep in the freezer as a quick breakfast on the go!
• Skinny Hummingbird Cupcakes by Skinnytaste A few months ago I made a hummingbird cake, which I would describe as a tropical carrot cake. The cake can be quite a heavy hitter, so I would love to try a skinny version of it! 
• To Die For Coconut Cookies by Skinnytaste As I have said before, I LOVE coconut! And these are said to be to die for, I think they sound pretty darn good! 
• Cookie Dough Marshmallows by Love and Olive Oil Homemade marshmallows have been on my "to make" list for a long, long time! Apparently homemade is so much better than store bought, but I think that is with most foods, right? 
• Chocolate Cookie Cups with Strawberry Buttercream by I am Baker Cookie cup? Huh? Sounds intriguing. I better start looking for strawberry extract. 

Have a great weekend! Bake some goodies, I hope to!
xoxo,
M

"Light" Peanut Butter Cup Blondies

Are you hungry yet?

So, how are your News Years resolutions going? Mine, not so well...surprise, surprise. Have I increased my exercise? Nope. Have I tried to eat better? Sort of. I hope you are better than I am, if not here is some incentive! Plus it's "light"! This would make the perfect post-workout reward. I got the recipe from Eat Yourself Skinny, from that name it has got to be some what better than the butter and sugar laden goodies I usually post about! Kelly adapted these from Cooking Light, which I am thinking about subscribing to. Do any of you? If so, would you recommend it?

Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my favorite flavor combinations, and I am sure many of you feel the same way. There is an ice cream shop near me that has a chocolate peanut butter cookie dough flavor. It is AMAZING! Add chocolate cake crunch and it is divine! If I only I knew how to make ice cream, then I could recreate the flavor and share it with you! Say I should make learning to make ice cream my New Years resolution, it would be much easier and much more enjoyable than getting in shape. Or maybe I should make an ice cream maker my reward for getting in shape, I may be on to something here! While I ponder this stroke of genius (tell me it is not a great idea!), here is the recipe for you!

Ready to dig in? These are very quick and easy to make,
so get your mixing arm ready! 

"Light" Peanut Butter Cup Blondies
Ingredients:
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons skim-milk
1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup mini peanut butter cups (or 3 roughly chopped large peanut butter cups)
Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350 F, and spray a 13x9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, both sugars, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
3. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs. Mix in the milk, vanilla extract, and cooled melted butter. Stir well.
4. Add egg mixture to dry ingredients, stir until the flour is about halfway combined, then add in the chocolate chips and stir until well combined.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan, spread evenly. Sprinkle the peanut butter cups evenly over the batter.
6. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool in pan.

Printable Recipe Here
Recipe Adapted from Eat Yourself Skinny

Old Fashioned Crumb Cake with Raspberry Preserves

 In my family on Christmas morning you can always count on there being crumb cake, but usually of the sour cream variety. The recipe we usually use if from my grandmother, it has a dense crumb made with oats, and the cake has a unique tang from the added sour cream. The recipe is our go to for Christmas morning sweets to nibble on as we open our presents! This year I decided to buck our family tradition (Sorry family!) and try a new variety of crumb cake.

So much crumbly goodness! 

I upped the yum factor by spreading a generous (I used an entire jar :)) layer of raspberry preserves over the cake before the crumb! I would highly recommend the raspberry, but I am sure any flavor jam would work just as well! Next time I want to try blueberry!

Old Fashioned Crumb Cake with Raspberry Preserves
Ingredients:
Cake:
1 Box Pillsbury Yellow Cake Mix
3 eggs
1 cup water
1 Jar of Bonne Maman Raspberry Jam (or any flavor you choose)
Topping:
4 sticks of butter
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
5 and 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 plus 1/4 cups brown sugar
2/3 plus 1/4 cups sugar
2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
(Optional Confectionary Sugar for Dusting)
Directions:
Cake: 
1. Preheat oven to 325 F, and spray jelly roll pan with baking spray.
2. Using a large mixing bowl and handheld mixer (or standup mixer), beat the eggs, water and cake mix for 4 minutes.
3. Pour the cake batter into prepared pan and smooth with a rubber spatula.
4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, remove from oven, but keep the oven on. While the cake is baking, make the crumb mixture.
Topping:
1. Microwave the butter until melted, allow to cool slightly, then add vanilla and almond extracts.
2. In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugars and cinnamon.
3. Using a pastry blender (or two forks) cut the butter into flour mixture until it becomes crumbly.
4. When the cake comes out of the oven, spread with the raspberry preserves (I used the entire jar). Then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over the cake.
5. Return the cake to the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until lightly golden in color. Allow the cake to cool completely, then you can dust with confectionary sugar if you wish!

Recipe Adapted From My Life as a Mrs.

Liebster Award (UPDATED)

Source

Thank you so much Teresa at My Day Starts with Chips for nominating me for the Liebster Award, which recognizes bloggers with less than 200 followers! Here is the low down: 
I am going to list 11 facts about moi! Answer 11 questions from Teresa! Create 11 questions of my own for other bloggers! Nominate 11 other bloggers! Let those bloggers know! Say thank you!
Also even if you do not have a blog, feel free to answer my questions with comments!

Here are my 11 facts:

1. For about a year I had braces on only one side of my mouth. 
2. I love to sleep. 
3. I had shingles at 13 and sometime before then I had mono. 
4. I am really bad with organization. 
5. I don't drink coffee. Only a latte occasionally. 
6. My favorite TV show is Castle. 
7. I am afraid of yeast and terrified of making bread! 
8. I love the snow!
9. I am obsessed with my dogs. 
10. Sprinkles are my favorite!
11. I am not very interesting, I don't have an eleventh fact. 

Answering Teresa's Questions: 
1. Would you rather watch a movie on dvd at home or at the movie theater?
DVD at home, I am a total homebody!
 2. Who is your favorite actor/actress?
Ryan Gosling! That man makes me swoon!
 3. If you had a castle, which country would it be in?
Ireland! 
4. You can chose anyone in the world to have dinner with, who would that be?
Michael Phelps so he can fall madly in love with me and we can get married! Or Kate Middleton to talk fashion! My serious choice would be Barack Obama! 
5. If you watched the t.v show Friends, are you more like Phoebe, Monica or Rachel?
My mom never let me and my sisters watch it! 
6. If you are on Pinterest, which category is your favorite?
FOOD!
7. What would be your perfect Sunday?
Sleep in until about 8, then go out for breakfast! Maybe a little shopping thrown in?
 8. Which birthday has been the best so far?
My last one! It was rockin'! 
9. If you could go on a shopping spree, would you come home with more clothes, shoes or bags/purses?
I think clothes because I already have a ton of purses and shoes!
 10. Are you a dog person, a cat person or neither?
Dog person all the way! Umm...all of it?
11. Which house chore do you dislike the most?
Umm...all of it?

EDITED: My Nominees....um I haven't found many with under 200 followers? Could you help this sista out and recommend a few? Thanks! I will add them as I find them! 

1. Whisked. 
2. Annie's City Kitchen

My Pathetic and Random Questions:

1. What is your favorite food?
2. If you could be a Disney Princess, which one would you be?
3. Do you do any extreme sports?
4. Dogs or cats? 
5. What did you have for breakfast this morning? 
6. Have you read the Harry Potter series?
7. Milk chocolate? Dark chocolate? Or white chocolate? 
8. Beach, lake or pool? 
9. What famous restaurant do you dream of dining at?
10. M&M or Skittles?
11. What is your favorite quote? Who is it from? 

xoxo,
M 

Drumroll....Pause (Please)

So, on January 7th I said I would be changing up the blog a little, well that is not going to happen. Not just yet anyways! Here's how it all went down! A wonderful and relaxing family vacation kept me out of the kitchen, so I was not able to make a special Six Month Blogoversary treat. Also I told my sister and her boyfriend the name I had thought of and it was shot down. This lead to my family trying to come up with some pretty crazy names, many with less than savory interpretations because there was scotch and limoncello involved! Now it is back to the drawing board for me!
I am so sorry to let you all down! Maybe I will be ready by my seven month Blogoversary!
Thank you for your patience!
xoxo,
M