Funfetti Blondies

I have a weakness. That weakness if funfetti. I love funfetti cake mix. Yes that's right I use premade cake batter and I'm not ashamed to admit it! When I saw this recipe the bars looked so cute and yummy. My other weakness is blondies. When this recipe took both of them and combined them plus topped it with frosting I was a goner. I knew I had to try these and there was no looking back.

I was not disappointed. They are super easy to mix up and are dense and cake like but yet have that blondie texture. You wouldn't need to top them with the frosting, but I mean seriously why stop now? So I of course added the frosting also!

Funfetti Blondies
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
1 box Funfetti cake mix
1/4 c. vegetable oil
1 egg
 1/3 - 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. white chocolate chips

Frosting
1/2 c. butter, softened
2-3 Tbsp milk
1 tsp milk
2 c. powdered sugar

1. Combine cake mix, oil and egg in a mixing bowl. Add the milk slowly - you want the batter to remain as dense as possible. Add the white chocolate chips.

2. Put batter in a 7x11 pan (9x9 would work). Bake 25-30 min at 350 degrees. If they are a little gooey in the middle that's ok they will set up a little after they cool.

3. While bars are cooling mix all of the frosting ingredients together and frost!

Recipe from: Six Sisters' Stuff

Pillsbury Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches and Pillsbury Egg Scrambles

I participate with the website "My Blog Spark" and was offered this great away to offer my blog readers through Pillsbury! I received 3 coupons to purchase the new Pillsbury Grands! Biscuit Sandwiches and Pillsbury Egg Scrambles, Doughboy key chain and a Doughboy Beanie Doll.

Now this is your chance to get all of those things for free also!

I used my three coupons on a the Sausage & Cheese Grands! Biscuits. My hubby loved them for a quick and easy breakfast option. After I got the cooking time down right that is. At first I cooked them a bit long in the microwave and they were a little bit chewy. I thought the Scrambles looked great too but they had to many "weird" ingredients that I knew the hubby wouldn't eat those.

Now it's your chance to enter to win the prize package.

All you have to do is leave me a comment about what is your favorite quick and easy breakfast! Please make sure to include your email address so I can contact you if you win. It'd be a shame not to be able to contact the winner!! The giveaway will be open through Wednesday, October 26th 1012.


*Disclosure: The VIP coupons, prize pack, information, and giveaway have been provided by Pillsbury through MyBlogSpark

Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars

It's been another month and it's once again reveal time for Secret Recipe Club. If you haven't heard of the SRC it is a group of us that get assigned someone else's blog, try out one of their recipes and then write a post about it. We all reveal our posts and which blog we had on the same day. It's pretty fun and it makes me go out and look at other blogs that I might not have otherwise and try something new.

This month I had the blog Foodness Gracious. It has a bunch of fun recipes on there so go check it out if you have time. I went with the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chips Bars. I thought I couldn't possibly go wrong if it paired chocolate and peanut butter together! The only I might do different is add a little bit more butter. The texture was a bit crumbly when you bit into the bars.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
1 3/4 c. all purpose flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 c. butter
1 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. packed light brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
12 ounces chocolate chips

1. Preheat the over to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 in pan with cooking spray.

2. Whisk together flour and baking soda. Using an electric mixer cream the butters, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla until combined.

3. Mix the dry ingredients in on low. Fold in chocolate chips.

4. Press cookie dough into the prepared pan and bake 20-22 min or until golden brown.

Pumpkin Bread

I'm staring at the the screen not sure what to write tonight. I hate when that happens. Sometimes words just flow off of my fingers and I have a great story to tell with the treat I'm sharing with you. Tonight is not one of those nights.

I've actually had this recipe for awhile but I have never tried it. It was my grandma's and I stole it out of my mom's recipe cards. Don't worry I copied it and left her a copy! I need another recipe for my Scentsy party the other week and I figured this was a good fall treat to try. Since it was grandma's I figured it was a pretty sure bet.

If you are looking for another fall treat to add to your recipes here is one for you. If you want I'm sure you could add some chocolate chips and sweeten things up a bit!

Pumpkin Bread
Printer Friendly Recipe
Ingredients
2/3 c. shortening
3 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 can pumpkin
2/3 c. water
1/2 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp cinnamon

1. Cream shortening. Add sugar, eggs, pumpkin, water and dry ingredients.

2. Pour into 2 greased 9 x 5 in pans

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour

Meatball Hash Brown Bake

I love dishes that combine and make it easy to have  complete supper like this one. All you have to do is add a simple veggie and you'll have a nice meal. For all you that a busy bringing meals to the field while harvest is in full swing this would be a perfect meal for the field. It transports nicely and it's in one dish. Gotta love that right?

This would also make a great dish to bring to a potluck or a friend that had a baby or is sick.

The hubby definetely liked this dish and kept going back for more so if you have a hungry man or a few around they will devour this in no time flat!

Meatball Hash Brown Bake
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
2 eggs
3/4 c. crushed saltine crackers (about 20 crackers)
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp salt, divided
1 1/2 tsp pepper, divided
1 lb ground beef
1 can (10 3/4 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 c. sour cream
1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 large onion, chopped
1 package (30 oz) frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, divided

1. In a bowl, lightly beat eggs. Stir in cracker crumbs, garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.

2. Crumble beef over mixture; mix well. Shape into 1 in meatballs. In a covered skillet over low heat, cook the meatballs in a small amount of water until brown; drain.

3. In a bowl, combine the soup, cour cream, cheese, onion and remaining salt and pepper. With paper towels, pat hash browns dry. Stir into the soup mixture. Transfer to a greased 13 x 9 in baking dish. Arrange meatballs over top pressing lightly into mixture. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 15 minutes longer or until meat is no longer pink and potatoes are tender.

Monster Munch

Last week I had my annual Fall/Winter open house for Scentsy and I knew I had to whip up some fall creations. Along with the Apple Bars with Caramel Frosting I already shared with you I made this snack mix.

I had spied this mix a long time ago and of course I pinned it on Pinterest for a later date. Luckily for us I did this because I would have lost it in the pile of recipes and it wouldn't have got made. I love Pinterest because I'm a very visual person and if I can go and look at pictures it's much more likely to get made.

This snack mix is adaptable if you want to mix in a few different things or substitute things but I don't think I'd change a thing. I like it just the way it is. It's nice and festival for a Halloween party or fall party if you have one coming up. Jason's aunt sampled this at my open house, then went to work and told my aunt how awesome it was, who then relayed to my mom how amazing this snack mix was, so my mom had to come over and try it. See that's how to good it is. It's flying around the county here in Minnesota about how wonderful this snack mix was! Try it and you won't be disappointed for a quick and easy fall treat!

Monster Munch
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
1 package almond bark (1 lb)
12 c. popped popcorn (about 1/2 c. kernels)
1 c. candy corn
1 c. dry roasted, salted peanuts
1 c. Reese's Pieces

1. Pop popcorn and place in a HUGE mixing bowl. The biggest you have. You'll need it and it's much easier to mix if you aren't struggling to keep it in the bowl. Mix in peanuts, candy corn and Reese's pieces.

2. Put the almond bark in a microwave safe bowl and melt according to directions on the package. Be careful not to go to long without stirring it or it will get hard and not mix.

3. Pour the melted almond bark over the snack mix and stir until everything is well coated. Spread out on waxed paper. Let sit until completely dry and then break into clumps.

4. Sample the mix. Try not to eat it all in one sitting. I promise this will be hard to follow. Enjoy!

Recipe from: Our Best Bites

Shared on the following sites - Please give them a visit!

Crazy for Crust

Apple Bars with Caramel Frosting

I have a ton of apples thanks to my wonderful Mommy. I mean two entire crisper full of apples in my fridge. This is your warning that you should ware of numerous apple recipes coming your way. I'm hoping you aren't disappointed in this little tidbit I just shared with you. If you are I might have to break up with you. I'm sorry. This relationship just isn't working for me.

I was having my annual Fall/Winter Scentsy open house this week and I of course needed to make some treats for this. I feel a bit of pressure when people come over to provide great food due to this blog. One of the hazards associated with this. Then I feel the need to bake and create which usually ends up in way to much food. My hips do not like this as much as my tummy does like this. Then I bring it work and try to feed my fellow employees. They like this much better than my hips do!

I scoured Pinterest for an apple recipe to make for this event and I found great ones but none I fell in love with. I think went the old fashioned way and grabbed a church cookbook out of my cupboard. That's when I found this recipe and decided to go with it. I'm not a big crust maker but this one is forgiving just smash it into the pan and it will be fine! The original recipe called for a powdered sugar icing but I mixed things up and want for a caramel cream cheese frosting. I mean caramel and apples go together like salt and pepper right? They do in my book!

Apple Bars with Caramel Frosting
Printer Friendly Recipe
Ingredients
5 c. apples, peeled & sliced
1 c. sugar
3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1 c. butter
1 Tbsp sugar
1 egg
3/4 c. Rice Krispies, crushed
Caramel Frosting
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
3 tbsp. caramel sauce
1 tbsp. milk
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar

1. Mix apples and 1 c. sugar together and set aside. Mix flour, salt, 1 Tbsp sugar and melted butter. Put egg yolk (set the egg white aside for later) in 1 c. measuring cup. Add milk to 2/3 line. Mix all these ingredients.

2. Take half of dough and roll out to fit a jelly roll pan. Put dough in the bottom of the jelly roll pan. Sprinkle crushed cereal over the dough. Top with apple mixture.

3. Roll out remainder of dough. Place on top of apple filling. Beat the egg white and brush over the top. Sprinkle a little sugar over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.
3. While bars are cooling combine the cream cheese and butter in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave in 15-20 second intervals until you can whisk the mixture together. Whisk in caramel sauce, milk and vanilla until smooth. Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth. Drizzle over bars.

Shared on the following sites - Please give them a visit!

Jane Deere

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole

How amazing has this weather been? I have to pinch myself when I see the date and realize it's October and still in the 70's and 80's. Unfortunately we all know this will come to an end and we'll welcome in the true Minnesota fall and the dreaded winter. This recipe will be perfect for those cool, crisp days.

Remember I told you I had to come up with some main dishes now that the hubby was home? This is something new I decided to give a try. I was looking through my Pinterest board and I saw a lot of pasta dishes. I mean oddles and oddles of them and I then realized I might have an obsession with pasta along with Pinterest. Ahhh addictions. At least these are somewhat harmless. The only thing that they will do is suck my time away by scouring my pinterest boards and add a little extra weight to my hips when I pin way to many pasta dishes and try them.

This caught my eye because it had wild rice. I love wild rice. I guess my true Minnesotan roots are coming out in this recipe. I should really rename it to "Chicken & Wild Rice Hotdish" so it truly reflects my Minnesotan roots! It's a pretty simple dish to throw together and it will please the family from young to old. This would be perfect for a crisp fall day even though we are being blessed with some amazingly warm weather right now! Enjoy!

Chicken & Wild Rice Casserole
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
8 oz sliced mushrooms
2 Tbsp butter
1 lb chicken, cooked and shredded
6 oz pkg wild rice with seasonings
1/2 c. sour cream
10 3/4 oz can cream of chicken soup

1. Cook wild rice according to package directions. While the rice is cooking melt butter over medium heat in a skillet. Add mushrooms and saute until tender. I omitted this and threw a few onions in as we are not big fans of mushrooms. Add chicken, sour cream and cream of chicken soup to mushrooms mixture. Remove from heat.

2. Add cooked wild rice to mixture and combine. Pour into a 2 quart casserole dish and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Adapted from: Semi Homemade Mom

Shared on the following sites - Please give them a visit!

Hugs & Cookies 
Jane Deere 

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies

I have two brothers for those of you that don't know that yet. An older one and a younger one. That's right I'm the middle and the girl stuck in the place where I had two wonderful brothers to pick on me while growing up. At least I was four years older than the little one so I could boss him around and beat him up for the better part of my childhood. Then he grew up. I mean really grew up. Currently he measures in at 6' 7'' so no more picking on him. Luckily I can out run him still and sneak away after I push his buttons. I know I'm angel and you can't imagine me picking on my brother right? You just keep thinking that!

Little bro is single and lives on a farm outside of the town I live in. He farms with my dad. I should probably cook for him more than I do but unfortunately it doesn't happen. I should really remedy that. He really likes my Creamy Chicken Enchiladas. He's been asking for those for sometime so I should probably treat him to those soon....

I bet you are wondering what all this has to do with a cookie recipe. This weekend I told him I would come and ride in the combine with him. He requested for me to make this type of cookie a long, long time ago. I'm thinking it was 6 months ago possibly even a year. I had got the macadamia nuts and found the recipe and just never got around  to it. I figured this was the perfect time to make these. I even surprised him with a whole plate (don't worry he shared with my bro in law that was driving semi). He said they were magnificent and the bro in law stole a couple, then came back for a couple more so I say success! And I had a wonderful ride in the new combine with him. It amazes me how much technology is equipment now days. I LOVE harvest time. Nothing beats going out to the farm and riding in something with my dad or brother. The sounds, the smell nothing tops it. You can take the girl off the farm, but you can't take the farm out of the girl!

These cookies are soft and chewy. The perfect cookie in my opinion. Make sure they are just starting to brown on the side and take them out of the oven. If you over bake them they won't stay soft! Enjoy!

White Chocolate Macadamia Cookies
Printer Friendly Recipe

Ingredients
3 c. flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 c. butter, softened
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. white chocolate chips
1 c. macadamia nuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Mix flour, baking soda and salt in medium bowl and set aside. Mix butter with sugars in a different bowl. Add vanilla and eggs and mix until smooth and fluffy.

3. Add flour mixture and combine. Then add chips and nuts.

4. Drop onto greased cookie sheets and bake 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are golden brown. The tops might still look doughy but they will cook as they sit on the cookie sheet. Let sit on cookie sheets for 5 minutes then remove to wire rack and let cool.

Shared on the following sites - Please give them a visit!

Everyday Mom's Meals 
Hugs & Cookies 
Jane Deere