my apologies

So I realize that it has been quite some time since my last post. I promise that I didn't completely stop using my mixer. I have been having some issues with my computer, in that I do not currently have a working computer. I hope to have the blog back up and running by the end of the month, I have been saving and hope to have enough soon to buy a new computer. In the mean time, happy mixing :)

Cranberry Banana Nut Muffins

So it has been a while since I posted. I realize that, and there is a very good reason for this. I am trying to change my eating habits. I have been looking for healthier recipes that also taste good. This one is amazing. So each muffin has 220 calories and 8 grams of fat, but if you leave out the nuts or use fewer bananas, it will be less. This makes 16 muffins. Enjoy.

Ingredients

2	cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2	teaspoons baking powder
3/4	teaspoon baking soda
1/2	teaspoon salt
4	bananas, mashed
1/2	cup butter, softened
1	cup sugar
2	eggs
1/2	cup applesauce
1/3	cup pecan pieces
2	oz Craisins

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
   
   
2. Cream together sugar and butter.
   
   
3. Add in bananas.
   
   
4. Add eggs one at a time.
   
   
5. Add in the rest of the ingredients.
   
   
6. Bake 25 minutes or until done.
   

Kettle Corn

So I love popcorn, but not just any old popcorn, kettle corn is my favorite. It is pretty easy to make at home too, if you follow these simple instructions.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup popcorn kernels
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• Salt to taste

Heat vegetable oil in a large pan with lid over medium heat. Then, toss in three kernels, and place the lid on the pot. Shake the pot and wait for the kernels to pop. Once popped, quickly add in the sugar, salt, and the remaining kernels. Replace the lid, and continue shaking the pot, until all the kernels have popped. Then, remove the pot from the stove, and shake to keep the kernels from burning. Let corn cool and the sugar will coat the corn for a nice crunch, so yummy. I made some tonight and my roommate and I ate it all. So i realize that this is not a recipe that needs a mixer, but it was so good, I had to share.

Mini Breakfast Pies

Mini in size but big on flavor. This morning I wanted to try something that I could make and then take each day for breakfast. Some of the girls at work have been bringing in these beautiful breakfast casseroles each day and it inspired me to try my own. But I know myself and portion control is not my strong suit, so I thought........ ding/light bulb. Why not use a muffin pan to make the breakfast casserole into several mini's. Here is what you need

Egg Mixture Ingredients:

• 12 cup muffin pan
• 1 pie crust (recipe below)
• 8 eggs
• 1/4 c. chopped green peppers
• 1/2 c. frozen hash browns
• 2 oz softened cream cheese/ 2oz shredded cheese
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 c. finely sliced and chopped carrots
• 1/2 c. browned sausage, you can also use leftover cubed ham, or bacon bits
  
• non-stick cooking spray
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Add the eggs and the cream cheese to the mixer and mix on speed 4 with the whisk attachment for about a minute,or until cheese looks incorporated into the eggs. Add all of the other ingredients and mix for

Crust Ingredients

• 1 1/4 c. flour
• 1 stick of butter
  
• ice water

cut the butter into the flour. slowly add enough ice water while mixing to make a dough. roll out into crust.

Spray the muffin cups with the nonstick cooking spray. Press the dough into the muffin cups. (You can use a small cookie or biscuit cutter to cut the dough and line the muffin cups with the dough.) Pour the egg mixture on top and bake in a 400 degree oven 25 minutes or until egg is set. cool 5 minutes on wire rack before removing the pies from the muffin pan. enjoy. You can freeze these and then micro them for a hot breakfast during the week or serve fresh. enjoy.

Monster Cookies

So I have had a few people tell me that these are the best cookies they have ever had. Personally I chose the Paula Deen recipe, I have to say: I think they may be the best cookies ever. My sister in law actually requested that I make them and have them on hand when she comes home with the baby. Here is how you make them. I think I should caution you though they are soo addictive I made them 2 weeks in a row and I am totally considering making them again this week, especially if Ava comes.

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 12-ounce jar creamy peanut butter
• 1 stick butter, softened
• 1/2 cup multi-colored chocolate candies(M&M's)
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup raisins, optional
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal (not instant)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs and sugars.

Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, chocolate chips, raisins, if using, baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags.

Nutty Cheeseball

I know that you are thinking, there is a recipe to make Amie? This recipe is so good you won't be able to stop eating it. So when that happens, remember I warned you. I made this for a party it was so good. It is the traditional recipe from Kitchen Aid, but I used sliced almonds instead of finely chopped pecans. Personal preference I think and it was beautiful. I know what you are thinking, this girl has lost it cheese beautiful. I say we have lost that sense of pride in a job well done, and this was good.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
• 1 cup of shredded Swiss cheese
• 1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped chives
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (this makes it really garlicky, so you might want to use less if you don't like a lot of garlic)
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds

Place all ingredients, except almonds, in the mixer and attach flat beater. Turn to speed 4 and mix about a minute or until well blended. On wax paper shape mixture into a ball. I had enough to make 2 balls. Roll the ball(s) in the sliced almonds. Wrap in wax paper, refrigerate until serving time.

Donut Muffins

So we were given recipes for the Pioneer dance to make and I chose donut muffins, they were very tasty and not too difficult, here is what you need

For the Muffins:

• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1 med egg
• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 3/4 cup milk

For the topping:

• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 cup melted butter or margarine

Using the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar and the shortening. Add the egg and mix until smooth. Add dry ingredients and turn mixer to stir, slowly add milk and mix until smooth. drop the mixture into oiled muffin cups. Make sure not to fill the cups more than 2/3 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove muffins from oven and allow to cool slightly.

Mix the powdered sugar and cinnamon in a shallow bowl and set aside. Melt butter or margarine. When the muffins are cool enough to handle dip them in the butter and then roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture. Serve warm. This recipe should make a dozen, but I only got 10 out of it.

Rolls, rolls, and more rolls.

So everyone who knows me knows that at every family gathering I am bringing the rolls. So it was no surprise to me when I was asked to make bread for a pioneer themed dance. Here is the recipe that I like

Ingredients:

• 5 c. pre-sifted flour
• 2 pkgs dry yeast
• warm water
• 1 c. oil
• 3/4 c. sugar
• 1 tablespoon salt

Mix the dry ingredients including the yeast in the mixer for about a minute. Add the oil and continue to mix with the paddle attachment. Slowly add warm water to form a dough. When the paddle attachment starts to struggle, switch to the bread hook attachment. You want a firm dough that tastes good. Mix with dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes. Put dough into a glass or plastic bowl and cover. Let rise one to two hours in a warm place. Form doughs into rolls and put onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

variation: for a white wheat roll, substitute half of the all-purpose flour for wheat flour. Food storage wheat is great, just grind it into flour. Make sure not to add more than 2 1/2 c. of wheat flour or bread won't rise properly as the wheat is too heavy. Also do not leave dough in the metal bowl to rise, plastic or glass bowls work best. Serve rolls warm with butter.

Chocolate Banana Bread

I will admit, I love some good banana bread, and who doesn't love chocolate? When I went to the grocery store this week and all the bananas for sale were at what I would call Banana Bread stage, I thought I would make a loaf. My sister came over for dinner and we decided to make it tonight, at some point we thought why not make chocolate banana bread. Here's how I did it, my sister found the recipe on tasty kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• ¾ cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1-¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoons Baking Soda
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ⅓ cups Margarine Or Softened Butter
• ⅔ cups Sugar
• 2 whole Eggs
• 2 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
• 1 cup Mashed Ripe Bananas
• ½ cups Mini Chocolate Chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

In your mixer, beat together the butter and sugar, scraping the bowl often.

Then add the eggs, milk and vanilla until blended together. Add in the mashed bananas. Next, add in the flour mixture and mix well.

Next add in the chocolate chips. I didn't have chocolate chips on hand, but I did have Hershey Kisses, so I chopped them into smaller pieces and used them in leiu of the chocolate chips. urn batter into a lightly greased 9″x5″x3″ loaf pan.

I decided to make muffins they need about 20 minutes to bake.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack. For easy slicing, wrap and refrigerate overnight. Makes about 20 slices.

I also added some pecans. Yum. Enjoy!

Sugar Cookies

Ok so i know it has been a while since I posted, I just finished throwing a fabulous baby shower for my Sister-in-Law, and let me tell you girls, It is not as easy as you would think. Especially if you make everything from scratch which we did. From the invites, to the food, even the favors. We spent weeks trying to get everything right. One of the things that I made for the shower were sugar cookies. I used a cookie press, and boy was I glad that I did, no rolling out and cutting cookies for me. I got this recipe from my sister, who got it from her Mother-in-Law. The cookies were great, but the recipe made 70 cookies so keep that in mind, you may want to cut it down. Here it is enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 cup shortening
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
grated rind of 1 lemon
4 cups sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup milk

Cream sugar and shortening in blender. Add eggs one at a time. Continue adding the other ingredients, alternating with the milk. Put into cookie press and bake on parchment paper about 6 minutes. If desired pipe on icing. I let my nieces do it, they had a blast and the cookies looked great.

Mashed Potatoes

Ok so I know you are thinking, YES! finally she made the potatoes. And the answer is yes I did. Here's the not so secret recipe:

Select your potatoes. You can use whatever kind of potato you want, I know a lot of people only eat red potatoes, but white and golds are good too and in this case I had white ones so I used them, get over it. One large potato per serving or 2 small ones. Wash and peel potatoes, of course you don't have to wash the potatoes before you peel them, but I think it is less messy if you do.

Re-wash the potatoes and dice them. Rinse diced potatoes, it helps remove some of the starch which helps prevent them from boiling over. Cover potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cook until tender.

Drain potatoes and put the paddle attachment on the mixer. Mix until smooth, adding milk, salt, pepper and butter to taste. ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

At first I decided that the first thing to make in my beautiful new mixer would be Mashed Potatoes, but my best friend happened to be in town and cookies sounded fantastic, so cookies it was. I mean who wants solid foods when they can have cookies. I used the recipe that came with the mixer and boy were they good. Here is the recipe you HAVE to try these...........

Ingredients:

1 c granulated sugar
1 c brown sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 sticks of butter (softened)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 c all-purpose flour
1 bag of chocolate chips (yes I use the whole bag, and I like milk or dark chocolate)
2 eggs

Place sugars, butter, eggs and vanilla in mixer. Attach flat beater and mix 30 seconds on speed 2. Stop and scrape bowl. Turn to speed 4 and mix 30 seconds, stop and scrape the bowl.

Turn to stir speed and slowly add baking soda, salt and flour to sugar mixture and mix about 2 minutes. Turn to speed 2 and mix 30 seconds. Stop and scrape the bowl. Add chocolate chips, mix on stir speed about 15 seconds.

Drop rounded spoonfuls onto cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes if you like gooey cookies, 12 minutes for cake like cookies. Cool on wire rack. ENJOY!

Here's how it all started.......

I have always thought of myself as a pretty good home cook, and a kitchen gadget junkie. No matter how many gadgets I buy there was always one that was a little out of my budget, but finally after 10 years my dream of owning a Kitchen Aid stand mixer is finally fulfilled, and it is everything I had hoped it would be. I am only 3 days in as an owner, but I have managed to use it twice thus far and I work full-time. I have been thinking about a food blog for a while. This blog will show you all of the good things that I make in my mixer and may encompass other recipes as well. I hope you enjoy. I know I will.