Mini Chocolate Fingers Layer Cake

My boyfriend is finally back from Russia!

It seems like 4 months couldn't go by fast enough. But how will we celebrate his return?

I actually made this cake last month for my friend's birthday, but didn't post it because I thought it was too simple a recipe that no one would want to make this.

But even though it was so simple, it was a great cake, and quite pretty too! I think I have found the cake to make for my boyfriend's return!

What you'll need:

-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1/2 cup whole wheat flour
-4 tablespoons cocoa powder
-1/2 cup berry sugar
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
-2 tablespoons butter, melted
-1 egg
-1/2 cup milk
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

+chocolate frosting
+chocolate chips
+chocolate fingers


Directions:

    1.   Preheat the oven to 340˚F. Lightly spray a springform pan.
    2.   In a medium bowl, mix together the flours, cocoa powder, sugar and baking powder. In a separate bowl, mix together the butter, egg, milk and vanilla. Slowly combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients util fully combined.
    3.   Pour mixture into the springform pan and bake for 30 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
    4.   Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
    5.   When cool, cut into two circles and coat with the frosting. Decorate with chocolate chips and chocolate fingers.


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Mini Easter Strawberry Layer Cake 
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Cream Cheese Pancakes

I guess I'll acknowledge it. 

I'm back at school. After two weeks of break, I'm going in for summer school. First week back and I'm already exhausted. But with Victoria Day on Monday, I am SO ready for this long weekend!

This morning, I woke up at 5:30AM. And when I wake up, there is no power on this earth that can put me back to sleep.

Of course, I have my first class at 1PM, so it's not like I want to go all the way to UBC just to wait around, especially since it was cold and raining. So what do I do instead?

Make pancakes of course!

And since I love putting cream cheese in everything, I would feel like I was discriminating if I didn't put any into pancakes.

If you like cream cheese, then hang on to your hats. This will blow you away. They were melt-in-your-mouth pancakes, but every now and then there would be a lovely chunk of cream cheese to surprise you on random bites.

If you don't like those little surprises (which my brother found alarming but not all too unpleasant) I would try melting the cream cheese. Otherwise, go nuts!

What you'll need:

-2 cups all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon salt
-3 teaspoon baking powder
-2 tablespoon sugar
-1 egg, beaten
-1 1/2 cups milk
-3 oz cream cheese
-1 tablespoon butter, melted
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract


Directions:

    1.   In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, salt, baking powder and sugar.
    2.   In a separate bowl, beat together the egg, milk, cream cheese, butter and vanilla extract. Slowly mix in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until fully incorporated. 
    3.   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, and flip when bubbles are covering the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook the other side until it is golden.


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Greek Yogurt Pancakes 
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Cream Cheese Banana Pecan Bread  

Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Cup Stuffed Oreos

Since my boyfriend has been away for 4 months now, I didn't have anyone to shove the crazy amounts of dessert that I make at to spare me (and my skinny jeans) the trouble of eating it alone.

So I do the next best thing: I give all the desserts I make to his family.

When one of my boyfriend's brothers shows me this idea, I could not get it out of my head. Oreos, peanut butter cups, chocolate, SPRINKLES!! I didn't stand a chance, I HAD to make this!

As I was making this, I kept looking at them longingly, telling myself not to eat one, or else I would eat all 9 that I made.

Of course I couldn't resist. I ate one. No big deal.

No big deal?? I'm just saying that so that no one will make it. And when no one makes it, no one can blame me for getting diabetes because they ate too many. Because I was close to eating all of them. If I had a cup of coffee, I think I would have too.

Recipe from recipeboy.com

What you'll need:

-18 Double Stuffed Oreos
-9 peanut butter cups
-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
-1 teaspoon butter
+sprinkles


Directions:

    1.   Slice each Oreo in half, keeping the cream on one side. You can keep the other sides to make pie crusts in the future.
    2.  Place the peanut butter cups on top of the cream side of the Oreo, then place another Oreo half cream side down on top. Repeat with the remaining Oreos and peanut butter cups until you have 9 sandwiches.
    3.   Melt the chocolate chips and butter in a microwavable bowl until smooth. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Using a fork, dip the sandwiches in the melted chocolate until fully coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet and top with sprinkles. Repeat with the remaining sandwich. Freeze or refrigerate until the chocolate is set.


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Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes 
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Mini Oreo Cheesecakes 

Mango Smoothie

It's beginning to look a lot like summer.

The skies are clear and blue, skirts/shorts/bare chests are out and, one of my favorite parts of the summer: cold drinks are getting cheaper.

When one place advertises a cheap drink, another one lowers their price until now I can get some delicious cold smoothies anywhere I go for $1.

Which makes me wonder: why would I ever need to make another smoothie ever again during the summer? I would probably spend more money making it at home than just picking one up anywhere I go.

That was my reasoning until I realized that even though they had so many smoothie flavors, I could find no mango flavored smoothies. It almost felt like a crime.. a crime that one homemade smoothie can only resolve.

This can also be the perfect way to reward your mother for all her hard work on mothers day: an easy to make ice cold smoothie. Make it now, and thank me later.

What you'll need:

-1 cup mango, cubed and frozen
-1 cup plain yogurt
-3/4 cup milk


Directions:


   1.   Combine all ingredients in a blender, and puree until smooth. 


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Strawberry Mango Smoothie 
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Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls with Caramel Frosting

I am not a breakfast person.

I know this may seem weird, seeing as how I have made more breakfast foods on this here blog than most of the other types of food; second only to dessert.

You see, the secret is to disguise dessert as breakfast. Like making breakfast cookies, breakfast cakes, and oh, of course! Breakfast rolls.

And when you can mix pumpkin AND some sweet breakfast, well that sounds like a winning combination right there.

Seeing as how this is only my second attempt at making cinnamon rolls (where my first attempt wasn't actually even cinnamon rolls, but raspberry rolls) they turned out a little flat. But this will not stop me. I will work at making cinnamon rolls until I'm so good, I will be able to make them in my sleep.

What you'll need:

Rolls:
-1/3 cup milk
-2 tablespoons, butter
-1/2 cup canned pumpkin
-2 tablespoons sugar
-1/4 teaspoon nutmed
-1 tablespoon all-spice
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1 egg, beaten
-2 1/4 teaspoon dry yeast
-2 cups bread flour
-2 teaspoon ground sugar
-2 tablespoon melted butter

Frosting:
-1/4 cup butter
-1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
-2 tablespoons milk
-1/2 teaspoon vanilla
-1/2 teaspoon all-spice
-pinch of salt
-3/4 cup confectioners' sugar, sifted


Directions:

    1.   Rolls: In a small saucepan, heat milk and 2 tablespoons butter until warm and butter is almost melted, stirring constantly. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, nutmeg, all-spice and salt.
    2.   Add the milk mixture to the pumpkin mixture and beat with an elastic mixture until fully combined. Beat in egg and yeast.
    3.   Add 1 cup flour to the pumpkin mixture and beat at a low speed for 5 minutes. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix until fully combined.
    4.   Grease a large bowl and place dough in it, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled (around 1 hour).
    5.   Punch dough down. Turn onto a floured surface and knead a couple of times until dough is smooth. Roll dough into a 12x10 rectangle.
    6.   In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Brush the surface if the dough with the melted butter, then sprinkle with brown sugar mixture.
    7.   Beginning with the long side of the dough, roll up jelly style. Pinch seam to seal. With a sharp knife, cut roll into 1 inch slices.
    8.   Place rolls cut side up in a greased 11x17 inch baking pan. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30-45 minutes.
    9.   Bake at 350˚F for about 15-20 minutes until golden. Remove from pan to a waxed paper-lined wire rack. Let cool.
    10.  Frosting: In a small saucepan, heat butter until melted. Stir in brown sugar and milk. Cook over medium heat for 1 minute. Transfer to a medium bowl, and let cool. Stir in the vanilla, all-spice, salt and confectioners' sugar. Beat with an electrical mixer until combined. Drizzle over cooled buns.


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Raspberry Rolls 
Iced Pumpkin Cookies 
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Greek Yogurt Pancakes

As mothers day is approaching, I'm trying to think of breakfast ideas to make my mo. I'm thinking of doing a good old breakfast in bed.

You know, this is kind of makes me wish I was a mother. Waking up with a breakfast that you can eat without even standing up? Now that's the life!

Then again, what if all you want to do is lie in bed and not do anything? How will you show your love and appreciation if you can barely get out of bed yourself?

Enter the easiest pancake to make ever. With only 4 ingredients, there is no excuse NOT to make these. It's so easy to make that I think that all you mothers out there with a child old enough to use the stove should hint at them to make this. It's almost a no fail recipe.

Since I didn't add sugar to these, they aren't all that sweet, but I am one of those pancake eaters that drenches their pancakes in syrup, so I didn't really notice. But if you like more sugar-y pancakes, by all means, add some sugar to the batter!

What you'll need:

-3/4 cup Greek yogurt
-1 egg
-1/2 cup all-purpose flour
-1 teaspoon baking soda


Directions:

    1.   In a medium bowl, beat together the yogurt and egg until light and fluffy. Mix in the flour and baking soda until fully combined.
    2.   Heat a large skillet over medium heat and spray with cooking spray. Scoop 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake, and flip when bubbles are covering the surface of the pancake. Flip and cook the other side until it is golden.  


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Chocolate Chip Banana Pecan Pancakes 
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Mini Chocolate Pumpkin Tarts

I'm looking out the window right now, and there are no clouds in the sky. Like, at all.

I have pictured what I would do at this very moment all winter. I would walk out into my backyard, rip my clothes off where I am now wearing a bikini, and go and sun tan.

There are many things wrong with this vision. One: I have never sun tanned in my life. I can't stay still long enough. Two: there is no way I could rip through clothes. That would require strength. And three: I never took into account the blinding panic I would feel when I saw the first signs of summer.

Yes, I started freaking out. Where did the time go? I only have heavy sweaters in my closet, I am not prepared for warm weather! And above all, now I can't eat pumpkin baked goods.

Oh Cathleen, you naive doofus. They sell pumpkin in cans year round, it is not restricted to autumn.

So that is what I did. I went to the store and got some canned pumpkin. But in my hurry, I forgot to buy all-purpose flour. Of course. Serves me right for being so excited about the pumpkin.

Since my house always has whole wheat flour, I could make do with what I have.

This was a delicious treat. Since I love everything mini (mini peanut butter cheesecakes, mini strawberry layer cake, mini cherry trifle, mini lasagna... the list goes on..) these make me love them all that much more. They are not too sweet, so some whipped cream on top seems like the perfect addition to these delicious treats!

What you'll need:

Crust:
-1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-2 tablespoons cocoa powder
-2 tablespoons brown sugar
-3/4 cup butter, softened
-2 tablespoons cold water

Filling:
-1 cup pumpkin puree
-1/2 cup milk
-1/4 cup maple syrup
-1 egg
-1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
-2 oz. dark chocolate
-1 tablespoon peanut butter
-1/2 cup chocolate chip


Directions:

    1.   Preheat the oven to 350˚F, Lightly spray a muffin pan and set aside.
    2.   For the crust: In a food processor, pulse together the flour, salt, cocoa powder and sugar. Add in the butter and pulse until the mixture looks like oatmeal.
    3.   Slowly add the water, continuing to pulse mixture until the crust begins to stick together more.
    4.   Divide into 9 equal parts, and press into the muffin pan cavities to make the crust. Prick the bottom with a fork a couple of times.
    5.   Bake for 10 minutes.
    6.   For the filling: Place the chocolate and the milk in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1-2 minutes. Mix together until well blended and chocolate is melted.
    7.   In a large bowl, mix together the chocolate/milk mixture, pumpkin, maple syrup, egg, flour, salt and peanut butter. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    8.   Divide evenly into your baked crusts and bake for 20-30 minutes.
    9.   Let cool, then refrigerate.


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Mini Oreo Cheesecakes 
Mini Peanut Butter Cheesecakes 
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