Sweet Treats: Summer Berry Cool Whip Cake

I am taking a little summer vacation to see family and get crap done, so I leave you with a treat that I like to think is *healthy*, and takes but minutes to make. We have made this cake a few times this summer. The fun thing is, you can play with what fruits and berries (cherries, kiwi, banana, blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, strawberry, mandarin oranges) you want to use and the frosting too. I used chocolate frosting this time, but last time I used pink lemonade frosting and it was amazing!! Plus, you can make it all pretty and festive!!

Mix together some of your cool whip and a frosting flavor of your choice.

  Slice your angel food cake in half and frost the middle. Top that with chopped strawberries.

 I added extra dollups of cool-whip to decorate the top. Then add your berries, sprinkles, chocolate shavings, fresh mint leaves, shredded coconut or whatever. The cake tastes best if you chill it for at least 30 minutes. And enjoy, for a light and fluffy, refreshing summer treat!

Sweet Treats: Strawberry Banana Streusel Muffins with Strawberry Butter

This is a compilation of about 3 different recipes. This strawberry muffins one (with user suggestions taken into account), and this cran-orange streusel and my banana one. Every recipe I ran into needing strawberries called for lemon or orange zest, and I am fresh out of both (though I do use a tad of lemon juice). So, why not use something else? Because I bought 4 huge packs of strawberries and need to use them before they go yucky.

Muffins:
2 mushy bananas (well mashed)
1/2 c milk
1 egg
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 c flour
1 squirt lemon juice (optional)
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 c chopped strawberries

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) oil an 8 cup muffin tin, or use paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, combine oil, milk, lemon juice, bananas and egg. Beat lightly. In a large bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder and sugar. Toss in chopped strawberries and stir to coat with flour. Pour in milk mixture and stir together.
3. Fill muffin cups. Top with streusel topping, then lightly sprinkle with sugar.
4. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 25 minutes, or until the tops bounce back from the touch. Cool 10 minutes and remove from pans.Serve with Strawberry butter.

Streusel Topping:
2 TB flour
2 TB brown sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TB cold butter
2 TB sugar (to sprinkle on afterwards)

* Combine all (except white sugar) in small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over batter. Sprinkle white sugar on top.


Strawberry Butter:
3 large strawberries
2 tsp confectioner sugar
stick room temp butter

*Blend and drizzle on muffins. Or maybe you just blend the strawberries and then lightly mix it in the butter for a thicker consistency. I don't know, directions were unclear, so play around with it. It looks disgusting, but I promise you it is not. If you use an awesome food processor unlike my old smoothie half-working blender, it will probably look better.

linked to Remodeliholic's recipe linky

and linked to Sweet as Sugar Cookies' Sweets for Saturday linky.

Sweet Treats; Baked Oatmeal Recipe

This recipe is so easy, fast and delicious! I've made this baked oatmeal before with peanut butter, but my family didn't like it too much, I think I added way too much salt (so my fault). But this was perfect... even for the pickiest eaters. I just topped mine with drizzled honey and chopped fresh strawberries. Serve it with bacon for a yummy breakfast.

Ingredients:
 3 c quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c milk
1/2 c vegetable oil
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon


Topping Ideas:
fruit~ strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, raisins)
drizzled honey
chopped fresh mint (optional garnish)
yogurt, maple syrup and raisins
warm milk with sliced banannas
whipped cream and chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Pour into a greased 9x9x2 baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-40 mins or until set and edges are lightly browned. (My oven runs hot, so it only took about 26 minutes).

OH! Linked up to Sweet as Sugar Cookies' Sweets for Saturday linky. TONS of amazing sweets there today.

Sweet Treats: Fruity Puff Pancake

This puff pancake family favorite recipe comes from my mother in law. She is an excellent cook and this dessert can be enhanced any number of ways. It is a family tradition to eat this treat during family get togethers, though it's especially perfect during the summer time. Keep in mind, the recipe is temperamental based upon altitude and humidity, so some experimentation may be needed. If you prefer something baking and hassle free, try my graham cracker with fruit and icing treat.

You bake your dessert base, which is a mix between a pan cake and a custard. The sides will brown, expand and curl over the pan edge and the cake will rise all puffy like while baking.

 When you pull it out of the oven, the cake will fall a little, so serve immediately while still warm. Cut the cake into slices and place on individual plates.

This is the part where each person experiments. Top the cake with a dollop of sour cream, (or plain yogurt which is healthier), then any freshly washed, cut up fruit you like. Here, we used strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and bananas. Then, sprinkle the fruit with brown sugar. If you like whipped cream or chopped fresh mint, those are good as well. Kiwi, blackberries, peaches and even chopped apple are good too. It seems the one fruit we always use is strawberries though, then whatever else we have, we chop up and add it on top.

* linked to Sweet as Sugar Cookies' Sweets for Saturday linky

Sweet Treats: Graham Cracker, Icing and Strawberry Summer Dessert

I love baked goods... when other people make them. Sometimes, I get excited to bake, but the energy, ingrediant checking/shopping and the stress of eating them while fighting off my boys is just too much.

 Also, the heat. Ovens, especially in {Texas} summer, I would rather avoid. Now, this treat may not be for the high society, elitest of bakers, but maybe someone out there may enjoy it, so here goes.

 I simply break the graham crackers along the perforated lines, smear on some chocolate icing (store bought or you can make your own), top with chopped strawberries and a shot of whip cream. If you have fresh mint, that is yummy on top, but my mint plant didn't move with us when we moved.

Easy, fast, no baking involved, simple ingredients and you make the amount you need in one sitting. Oh, and kids love it. Sometimes, I like to spread just a bit of frosting on the graham cracker and eat it without anything else.

Also, can you believe this monster of a strawberry? It's as big as my hand. Of course, my hands are fairly small, but still, it was huge... and most importantly, delicious.

Homefront: Happy Birthday Breakfast

Happy birthday to me~

Happy birthday to me~

I got my breakfast in bed...

and one more year till I'm thirty!