Energy Bites

 Can't wait to make this recipe!

Double Layer Strawberry Shortcake

I love following this cute family on Instagram. They shared this recipe and I can't wait to try it!

Anna Liesemeyer's Double Layer Strawberry Shortcake

Ingredients:

11/4 c. milk

1/2 cup sour cream

3 Tbls. sugar

4 c. cups all purpose baking mix

8 oz Whipped Cream

4 cups topped and sliced fresh strawberries (or more if

preferred)

1/4 cup sugar

1 large pkg. (5.1 oz) Vanilla instant pudding (made ahead of time and chilled)

Homemade whipped cream set aside and chilled:

1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream

2 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

1/2 tsp. Vanilla

(Beat all ingredients in bowl until it forms whipped

cream.)

Directions:

1) Preheat Oven to 425 degrees.

2) Mix milk, sour cream, and sugar together until well blended.

3) Gradually stir in baking mix just until moistened (you don't want to over-stir or it will be too tough).  It will be a thick consistency.

4) Spray two 9 inch round baking pans with cooking spray and divide mixture into the pans.

5) Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for 10 minutes and then remove from pans and let cool completely.

6) While cake is baking and cooling, pull your vanilla pudding and whipped cream out of the fridge. Stir half of the whip cream into the pudding.

7) Place one layer of the cake on a cake stand and layer on half of the pudding/whipped cream mixture and half of the strawberries.

8) Repeat with a second layer of cake and pudding mixture, and add the second half of the whip cream on top before the strawberries.

9) With a spoon or spatula, spread remaining whipped cream over top of cake and layer on strawberries for the final touch.

Best when served immediately or keep chilled if making ahead (I usually do everything but the final assembly when making ahead, as the strawberries tend to absorb into cake). Hope you enjoy! 

Sprite Cake

Found this recipe and I can't wait to try it! 

Sprite Cake from My Incredible Recipes

Ingredients using Box Cake Mix:

one box of yellow cake mix

4 eggs

3/4 cup of vegetable oil

1- 4 ounce box of instant lemon

pudding

3/4 cup of carbonated lemon

lime soda of your choice/any

brand

Lemon Glaze Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon of milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 325F

Grease your bundt pan

In a separate large bowl combine all the cake ingredients, plus pudding ans the soda and mix well

pour the mixed batter into the greased bundt pan.

Bake for about 45 to 55 minutes or until set.

Allow to cool completely before removing from the pan.

Make the glaze: mix powdered sugar and lemon juice and milk together and drizzle on cooled cake once removed from the pan.

Pudding Cookies

 My Aunt Melanie is the absolute best :) I have many fond memories of growing up sampling her cooking--she is incredibly talented and all of her food is made with love :) This is one of my favorite desserts she makes. Hope you like it, too!

Pudding Cookies

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup salted butter (softened)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1.5 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

3.4 oz package instant vanilla pudding mix (add the dry mix)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips , more to taste

3/4 cup white chocolate chips (could also substitute for dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Cream together the butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl. Mix for about 1-2 minutes until smooth and fluffy. Add in vanilla and beat in one egg at a time. 

In a separate bowl, mix together flour, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Then slowly stir into the wet ingredients. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Use a medium cookie dough scoop to scoop the dough onto the baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. You want the center to look a little underdone. Let sit on pan for 2-5 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Enjoy with a cold glass of milk! 

Snickerdoodle Cobbler

 Stumbled across this cobbler and it is definitely a keeper!

Snickerdoodle Cobbler

Ingredients:

1 (17.5oz.) package snickerdoodle

cookie mix

1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter

1 large egg

1 (2loz.) can apple pie filling

3 Tbsp. caramel topping

2 tsp cinnamon sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375F and spray an 8" baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, mix together cookie mix, butter, and egg.

3. Place half of the dough in small spoonfuls across the bottom of the prepared baking dish.

4. Sprinkle dough with 1 tsp of cinnamon sugar.

5. Spread apple pie filling over the bottom layer and add remaining cookie mix in small spoonfuls across the top.

6. Sprinkle with the second tsp of cinnamon sugar and top with a drizzle of caramel topping.

7. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes.

8. Top with Ice cream and Enjoy!

Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

 Apple Cider Doughnut Cake

Yellow cake mix

¾ cup apple cider

¼ cup water, room temperature

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

½ cup apple sauce

• 3 large eggs, room temperature

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons cinnamon

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup unsalted butter, melted

Optional Apple Cider Glaze Dip

1 cup powdered sugar

1/4 cup apple cider

Directions for Cake

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the dry

cake mix, apple cider, apple sauce,

water, and eggs.

3. Add in cinnamon (1/4 tsp), brown

sugar, and vanilla to the cake mix

batter.

4. Pour the mixture into a well-

greased AND floured bundt pan.

5. Place bundt pan on center rack and

bake for 45 minutes. Test with a

toothpick by sticking into the middle

of the cake, if it comes out clean it is

ready. Remove from heat and allow to cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes.

Olive Oil Bread Dip

Olive Oil Bread Dip

(AR 1 CUP OLIVE OIL

3 GARLIC CLOVES MINCED

1/2 TABLESPOON ITALIAN SEASONING

1 TEASPOON PARSLEY CHOPPED

1/2 A TEASPOON CRUSHED RED PEPPER

SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

French Toast

 French Toast

8 oz (8 slices) of Brioche bread

4 large eggs

3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 tbsp brown sugar

Pinch of salt

dash of cinnamon* optional*

Bonanza Bread

I remember my friend Cayla's mom bought an entire box of bananas. Unfortunately, a lot of them went bad and so she decided to make banana bread. She tried a few times and I don't think any of them worked out :( At the time, she liked the show Bonanza so I told her not to worry, she made Bonanza Bread! Anyway, I've had a similar experience with banana bread--I just haven't had the best luck. So I can't wait to try this recipe! 

Banana Bread

1 stick butter

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

1 cup mashed bananas

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup walnuts (optional)

Lemon Cake

 Lemon Cake

FOR THE CAKE:

• 1 (15.25 ounce) box lemon cake

mix

• 1 (3.4 ounce) box instant lemon

pudding mix (just the dry mix

not prepared into pudding)

• ¾ cup water

• ¼ cup freshly-squeezed lemon

juice

• ½ cup vegetable oil

• 4 large eggs

FOR THE GLAZE:

• 1¼ cups confectioners sugar

sifted

• 2-3 tablespoons freshly-squeezed

lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Balsamic Pot Roast

 Apparently someone won a recipe contest with this. I like it!

Balsamic Roast Beef

Ingredients

1 (3-4 pound) boneless roast

beef (chuck or round roast)

1 cup beef stock or broth

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 

1 tablespoon soy sauce 

1 tablespoon honey

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

4 cloves garlic chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Place roast beef into the insert of your slow cooker.

In a 2-cup measuring cup, mix together all remaining ingredients. 

Pour over roast beef and set the timer for your slow cooker. (4 hours on High or 6-8

hours on Low)

Once roast beef has cooked, remove from slow cooker with tongs into a serving dish. 

Break apart  lightly with two forks and then ladle about ¼ - ½ cup of gravy over roast beef.

Crockpot Chicken and Veggies

 Ingredients

• 2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts

•1 pound baby carrots

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes cut in wedges

• 14.5 ounces chicken broth optional

1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick

• 3 tablespoons minced garlic

• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

• 1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon thyme

• 1 teaspoon parsley

Instructions

1. Place chicken in bottom crock pot.

2. Place butter in small microwavable bowl. Heat

for 1 minute or until melted.

3. Add Garlic, salt, pepper, thyme and parsley to

melted butter and mix.

4. Pour 1/4 of butter mixture over chicken.

5. Add carrots and potatoes. Pour remaining

butter over veggies and mix to cover.

6. Add 1/2 a cup of chicken broth to crock pot.

(optional just adds more delicious juices)

7. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or low

for 6 hours.

Wimmer's Steak Marinade

 Laurie’s Flank Steak Marinade (via Michelle Wimmer)

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ c oil

3/4 c soy sauce

1/4 c Worcestershire sauce

2 T dry mustard

(? T) 2 1/4 t. garlic salt

2 T coarse black pepper

½ c red wine vinegar

1 ½ T dry parsley flakes

½ c lemon juice

Sugar Cookie Bars

I found this recipe, tried it, loved it! So I'm not losing it :)

 INGREDIENTS:

Sugar Cookies:

1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 large eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon table salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

Frosting:

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter softened

4 oz cream cheese softened

½ teaspoon almond extract

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

4 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons heavy cream

food coloring & sprinkles (if wanted, optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet (12"x17" or 13"x18") by spraying with cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or using a hand held mixer, cream butter and sugar until light & fluffy. This will take 2-3 minutes. It will look dry and crumbly at first but then come together and get creamy after a couple minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread onto the prepared cookie sheet.

* The dough should spread easily but if needed, drop large spoonful's of it all over the cookie sheet and then spread it out that way.

Bake for 13-16 min, until edges are just barely light golden brown and the center looks pale & puffy. The center should not look wet at all, but it should still be very pale. Mine usually take the full 15 minutes. Let cool completely in the pan before frosting.

For the Frosting:

Blend together the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat together until combined.

Add powdered sugar and heavy cream and blend on low speed (to avoid powdered sugar going everywhere) and eventually increase the speed as needed. Spread over cooled cookie bars.

* I have never used more than 2 tablespoons heavy cream. You want the frosting as thick as possible but still spreadable. I have found that 2 tablespoons is perfect. If you use a lower fat milk you will need much less milk so start at 1 tablespoon with any milk besides heavy cream.