Squish Honey!

Elevate up your life with Squish CBD-infused, local honey! Our friends at Peace, Love, and Bees offer a beautifully floral clover honey, then Squish botanically infuses it with their organic CBD flower.

This is the MOST unique honey experience I have ever had, and if you’re looking to get some of this honey, it’s one of the newest products on their website, and can be found online, or at their storefront in Marion, IL.

I simply spread goat cheese onto some crackers, placed them onto an adorable platter, then worked the magic. A honey dabber was the perfect tool to apply honey to each cracker! This honey contains 10mg CBD per 1 tsp, and I didn’t have to use very much to make the perfect snack for Valentine’s Day!

“The taste of honey…much sweeter…than wine…” as sung by The Beatles has been in my head since yesterday! What a fun way to share the love.

Squish Global grows organic hemp flower in Marion, IL. Southern Illinois soil to oil!

Learn more about Squish on their Website!

Rustic Apple Pie Pizza Recipe + Why I love Fall Baking

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Oregon Chai®. The opinions and text are all mine. #OregonChaiMeTime 

Wow! Have I got an incredible recipe for you today. It embodies the fall spirit, and includes a dessert “pizza!” This delicious and unique recipe is rustic, sweet, and crunchy; an amazing pairing with a nice, warm Oregon Chai® Tea Latte! Make this amazing dessert for your next gathering, dinner with friends and family, or even for a potluck. This dessert will vanish before you know it.

To me, baking is one of the best ways to spend “me time.” I tend to find myself baking the most once the weather cools down, when I have a bit of free time, or even when too many days have passed since I created something delicious.  Any day that includes chai tea and some me time is a GOOD DAY!

I wasn’t always able to bake freely though. Before we got our new furnace this summer, the house would get WAY too hot (83 degrees +) when I turned on the oven, and so it was nearly impossible to justify baking when the house would not cool down from it. I made so many no-bake meals, or even used our awesome toaster oven to try to make complete meals, small casseroles, and even side dishes – baking cookies, pies, or brownies really doesn’t go well in the toaster oven.

I didn’t even realize how strong of a connection I had to baking, until I had limited use of the oven, and realized how sad I was when I looked through Pinterest and saw all of those recipes that I could not even attempt. I now bake every few days (or more) and I am so happy about how cool our house stays finally. Thank goodness for good air conditioning, LOL!

I also tend to LOVE sweet desserts and dishes, so this one is just perfect for me. If you like desserts that are on the more savory or less sweet side of life, then you can majorly reduce the amount of sugar I have suggested. Either way, you’re going to love this apple pie pizza.

Pizza is such a familiar comfort food, and when I had a slice of this Apple Pie Pizza, it took me back to eating some of the best thin crust pizza ever, combined with one of my favorite fall desserts ever.

Since we are surrounded by apple orchards here in southern Illinois, using apples in my recipe came as a very natural solution to eating more local ingredients!

This rustic recipe is crunchy around the edges from this crispy crunchy dough, sweet, tart from the apples, buttery from the dough, and the egg wash and cinnamon sugar topping makes the most excellent crunch when you bite into it.

Perfect for enjoying on a chilly fall day or evening! I was extremely happy with how this recipe turned out, and I know you will be too. I used an organic pie crust from the store, and it held the shape of the lattice just perfectly.

By cutting the lattice into smaller, ½” strips, I was able to make a very intricate pattern on top of this Apple Pie Pizza. Feel free to also cut the strips into 1” pieces to make life much easier! The ½” strips were not incredibly hard to work with, just a little more time consuming. But, patience always pays off when you’re baking.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

1 package refrigerated pie crust (2 per package)

2 apples, I used green apples

4-5 Tbsp.  sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 egg, whisked for egg wash

4-6 Tbsp. water in a small bowl to use to attach pie dough together

Round or Rectangular baking sheet

Parchment paper

Oregon Chai Tea Latte Concentrate to enjoy while baking!

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Chop 2 apples into tiny pieces and coat with 1 ½ - 2 Tbsp. sugar, ½ tsp. cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp. nutmeg.

2.) Unroll both pie crusts onto a work surface covered in parchment paper. Optional: use a rolling pin to smooth out any creases.

3.) Use a ruler to mark every ½” or 1” on one pie crust. Also, use the ruler and a sharp knife to impress even lines and cut strips from the pie crust. Set aside.

4.) Spread an even layer of apples onto the other pie crust.

5.) Weave dough strips over apples, first laying half of the strips vertically, then weaving the horizontal pieces in next. Feel free to use a little bit of water in each place where the dough strips overlap. Brush top crust with egg wash.

6.) Once done weaving, sprinkle on a mixture of 2 Tbsp. sugar + ½ tsp cinnamon, and bake for 15-20 minutes at 375 degrees F. Slice like a pizza and enjoy! We cut the finished Apple Pie Pizza with a sharp knife, but you could also use a pizza cutter!

Make sure to also grab your Ibotta offer here for 75 cents off any 1 Oregon Chai product at Walmart (9/26/18 – 11/30/18, or until supplies last).

Stock up now! This tea is so delicious you will want to incorporate it into your every day routines and serve it to anyone who visits you.

I was able to easily order the Oregon Chai Tea Latte Concentrate (32 oz.) on Walmart.com using their super easy Online Grocery Pickup service!

Below, you will see how easy it was to search for all of the available Oregon Chai products at Walmart. I spent around $12 to create this entire recipe, and since the Chai Tea was under $4.00 I saved SO much compared to going to a coffee shop for an overpriced drink.

After I went to the checkout page, I simply chose “Pickup” for FREE (see below)! No shipping charges at all, which saved me around $6.00. YAY!! I love a good deal.

The taste of this Oregon Chai Tea was rich, smooth, and has those amazing chai spices that I can’t get enough of. I like to add macadamia milk to my chai tea, instead of traditional dairy milk, and my body loves me for it! What a delicious way to get a little pick-me-up during baking or during any other time of the day.

Once my order was ready, I was able to run by my local Walmart and easily grab the tea in the pickup area. Super easy since I had so many errands to run that day.

Has your local Walmart installed an Online Grocery Pickup station yet? Ours JUST remodeled, and I had an extremely easy experience, let me walk you through it/ 

1.) Visit the Walmart Online Grocery Pickup station and scan the barcode given in your email.

You can also just wait outside and call the phone number on the pickup area. They will bring everything right out to you!

Like I said, baking helps me de-stress and helps me continue to be creative, so after getting a ton of things checked off the to-do list, I relaxed for a bit, then got to baking.

I hope you have an absolutely splendid fall, and please comment below to let me know if you tried making this recipe! This would be so fun with kids, and would be a fun holiday baking activity. Enjoy!

Easy Caramel Brownie Layer Cake

If you are a fan of layers upon layers of chocolate brownies, homemade whipped cream, and caramel, then this is definitely the cake for you! Although it looks so elegant, it really is pretty easy. This dessert allows us to think beyond the traditional chocolate cake, and make your next dessert rich, decadent, and delicious! When I made this dessert for a potluck, people raved about it. It was so delicious once the whipped cream layers sat with the brownie layers, because the sides stay a bit crunchy, and the inside portion of the cake moisten up and form more of a fudgy and cake-like consistency all at the same time, that’s out of this world! Hope you enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:

*Note - Amazon Affiliate Links have been provided if available

For The Whipped Cream:

For The Brownies:

  • 2 boxes of brownie mix (I used Ghirardelli caramel turtle brownie mix, and instead of mixing the caramel into the brownies to bake, I decorated the top pf the cake with it!)

  • Brownie ingredients (eggs, oil, and water)

  • 3 round baking sheets - I found mine for about $1 each at Walmart!

  • Caramel Sauce if not included in Brownie boxes you use.

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On parchment paper, trace your circular baking dish three times. Cut those three paper circles out and set aside. Spray three circular baking pans with Pam, then place the circular paper pieces into the baking pans and spray a little bit more to coat paper.

2.) Mix up 2 boxes of your favorite brownie mix and pour into three prepared circular baking pans. Bake the three circle pans for 15-20 minutes, check to see if they are done by inserting a toothpick to see if they are done.

3.) To make your homemade whipped cream, in a stand mixer, add 1 pint of heavy whipping cream + 1/3-1/2 C. sugar + 1-2tsp vanilla. I also love using vanilla bean powder to add little black flecks and more vanilla flavor to my whipped cream. Whip for 2-4 minutes on high, until stiff peaks form. Just keep mixing, it may seem like an eternity, but is so worth it! Do not over beat the cream, or it will begin to resemble butter, and not be very fluffy.

4.) Now, it’s time to “layer up”! I have shown all of my layering steps below, so you basically layer up: brownies and whipped cream until you get to the top layer. Make sure to make the top layer of whipped cream as smooth as possible. But, no need to stress about being perfect - this cake is a naked cake and is pretty rustic anyway, so the more homemade it looks, the better!

5.) To decorate the top: I used caramel sauce in a squeeze tube that worked perfectly to decorate. I basically just made a continuous line of caramel vertically across the entire cake, then crossed that again with caramel lines horizontally. I rotated the cake as I worked, which was great. Add sprinkles and enjoy!

THIS CAKE ROCKS! HOPE YOU ENJOY!

If you wind up making this recipe or any other recipes, please tag me on Instagram with @happysolez! Thanks!!

Pull Apart Cupcake Cake Recipe

This recipe is PERFECT for parties and holidays, because it's easy to eat! Everyone has their own individual cupcake to share the joy, no need to cut THIS cake. 

We were ecstatic when we learned that we had the opportunity to collaborate with Martha Stewart to promote her baking items at Macy's. It's quite the honor, and several times throughout this process I exclaimed, "I am shooting recipes for Martha Stewart"!!! 

In order to creatively incorporate her Essentials collection into pins that would encourage people to want to learn more, I thought that a sweet treat would obviously be perfect, so I found a fun recipe on marthastewart.com and creates it! Below, you will find that very recipe, and I hope you are inspired by this fun post to make your very own cupcake cake!

MARTHA STEWART RECIPE (originally found here):

Pull-Apart Vanilla-Wafer Cupcake Cake with Berries

Talk about a fun dessert! It looks like a sheet cake on top, but there are actually vanilla-coconut cupcakes underneath the fresh berries and fluffy whipped-cream frosting. It's easy to make and even easier to serve -- no slicing required.

Source: Martha Stewart Living, May 2018

INGREDIENTS

  • 45 vanilla-wafer cookies, pulsed in a food processor until finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
  • 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups mixed fresh berries, such as blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries

DIRECTIONS

  1. 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Whisk together cookie crumbs, flour, baking powder, and salt.

  2. 2. Beat butter with granulated sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture and beating until combined after each addition. Fold in coconut.

  3. 3. Divide batter among cups. Bake until cupcakes are golden brown and centers bounce back when gently pressed, 22 to 24 minutes. Let cool completely in tin on a wire rack.

  4. 4. Add 2 tablespoons water to a small saucepan. Sprinkle with gelatin; let stand until thick, about 5 minutes. Gently heat over medium until gelatin has dissolved. Remove from heat; let cool 5 minutes (but don't let it set).

  5. 5. Beat together cream, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla on medium speed until very soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Add gelatin mixture; beat on medium until stiff peaks form, about 1 minute more.

  6. 6. Remove cupcakes from tin and arrange on a platter in a three-by-four rectangle. Spoon frosting over each row of cupcakes; using an offset spatula, smooth to cover tops, forming a rectangular shape. Refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours. Sprinkle with berries before serving.

Delicious No Bake Tiramisu Recipe

This Italian inspired dessert has been described as "sexual" and will make your tastebuds go crazy! Perhaps this recipe will start off your weekend just right! But in all seriousness, since this is a no-bake treat, and can be served in individual jars, it's perfect for summer parties, and everyone is going to love this recipe. 

Both rich and somehow light at the same time, the homemade whipped ricotta filling and the familiar taste of coffee really make for a decadent treat.

Easy Eggless No-Bake Tiramisu

Prep Time: 20 min + chill time

Yield: 9

INGREDIENTS

·       1 cup (250ml) whipping cream

·       1 cup (250g) mascarpone, softened

·       1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar

·       1 tsp (5ml) vanilla extract

·       1&1/2 cups espresso or very strong coffee, cooled

·       2 tbsp (30ml) coffee liquor (I used Kahlua)

·       2 dozen lady fingers

·       2 tbsp cocoa powder

INSTRUCTIONS

1.   Beat the whipping cream until stiff peaks form. Set aside.

2.   Mix the mascarpone, sugar and vanilla until combined. Add in the whipped cream and beat again until smooth.

3. Prep small Ball jars by removing all lids, rinsing and drying thoroughly, and setting them all out onto a tray or surface.

3.   Stir the coffee and liqueur together. Lightly dip 2-3 lady fingers into the coffee mixture, then place the 2-3 lady fingers into the jars to create the bottom layer of the dessert. Make sure not to soak the lady fingers too much or there will be lots of coffee left in the bottom of the jars. Repeat in all jars.

The Kahlua is optional but adds a nice kick and authentic flavor to the flavor of this dessert!

4. Using the small ice cream scooper, scoop a generous amount of the ricotta mixture over each jar, making them look as much like a perfect scoop of ice cream as possible.

5. Sprinkle cocoa powder (or even hot cocoa mix) through a metal strainer over top of each jar. A light dusting of the cocoa powder really gives them a nicer, upscale look. Enjoy!

The other fun thing about this post is that I get to show off my new kitchen update, we painted and I installed new "tiles" from The Smart Tiles, here!

PRINT THE RECIPE...

PIN IT FOR LATER...

Vegetarian Cashew and Superior Green Filled Cheesecake Recipe

This post is sponsored by FoodScience of Vermont. All opinions and content are my own.

#LiveSuperior

Looking to add more Superfoods to your diet? Learn how to infuse a cashew-based “cheesecake” with health-boosting ingredients!

This delicious cashew-based version of a traditional cheesecake is filled with all natural ingredients thanks to FoodScience of Vermont Superior Greens, which contains whole fruits and vegetables, promotes healthy aging and radiant skin, mental clarity, and a healthier immune system while offering a boost of healthy enzymes to support your immune system, plus probiotics. It’s amazing how this one line of Superior Powder products can offer so much!

Try it, you’ll love it. Find the product at Rite Aid® and RiteAid.com here!

I love incorporating unique and health conscious ingredients into my recipes, like the FoodScience of Vermont Superior Greens, which contains three servings of fruits and vegetables in each ½ scoop – which means that this ultra concentrated version of some of the healthiest ingredients on Earth really will work quickly and efficiently!

This recipe is divine! I believe this would be great for someone looking for healthier alternatives to dessert recipes, or someone who has never ever tried a cashew based cheesecake before. It’s fun to introduce friends and family to things like that.

I have been very interested in the detox process as well as considering eating as many whole foods as possible. This FoodScience of Vermont Superior Greens is a great step, in addition to more exercise and lots of water intake, towards reaching my nutrition and other health goals I have set for myself.

While the product can be enjoyed in a smoothie or mixed into a glass of cold water, I thought it would be exciting to introduce this product to my wonderful readers, friends, and family through a mouth-watering dessert recipe.

Perfect for summer when you don’t want to bake a ton, or when you want something that’s not overly sweet but deliciously frozen, this is the recipe that will check all of those boxes! Bring this to an event, or serve it to friends at a summer gathering and just look at everyone’s faces light up when they realize that this is not the “cheesecake” they were expecting, but one that is WAY, WAY better for them, but still tastes indulgent.

Now, as for the crust, I know the traditional vegan cheesecakes are made with dates, and are basically no bake, but my favorite part of a cheesecake IS the crust, so I wanted to keep it traditional with lots of additional natural ingredients to sweeten things up naturally. Feel free to use a date crust here too.

Food Science of Vermont provides us with ways to get 3 servings of fruits and vegetables in each ½ scoop. The scoop is provided, so it’s very easy to measure out just how much you will need.

While the traditional use for this product is mixed into smoothies, cold water, and other drinks, I thought it would be genius to use the delicious taste and the nourishing super food ingredients to infuse this recipe with a unique taste and twist.

The crust is made from a delicious mixture of coconut, walnuts, oats, graham crackers and vegan “butter”. I used a spring form pan, similar to a traditional cheesecake, but really modernized this recipe with almost all vegan ingredients and that extra boost of has helpful enzymes and probiotics, making this an all around awesome dessert or snack. Give it a try, I bet you’ll enjoy it!

INGREDIENTS:

(Makes “Cheesecake” in 6 in x 3 in spring form pan):

Crust Ingredients:

10 - 12 full graham cracker rectangles

¼ c. oats

¼ - ½ C. or more walnuts

½ C. or more dried coconut pieces/flakes

¼ tsp. cinnamon, optional

6-8 (or more) TBSP salted Vegan Butter or regular butter

¼ C. Sugar

*Note: Feel free to use less graham crackers and more of the oats, nuts, or coconut if you prefer and even healthier crust.

Filling Ingredients:

3 C. soaked cashews (soak for at least 3-5 hours)

1 can chilled coconut milk (use the top thicker part and save or discard water)

¾ - 1 C. macadamia milk, coconut milk, or similar

4 – ½ C. agave or maple syrup

½ - 1 tsp. vanilla

2 TBSP FoodScience of Vermont Superior Greens Powder

INSTRUCTIONS:

For The Vegan Filling:

1. Soak cashews for 3-5 hours, and strain. Add to a blender with coconut milk, and process until smooth. If the mixture does not pour well, then add a bit more macadamia milk or agave. Taste the filling to make sure it is to your liking. Time to make the crust!

For The Crust:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and prepare your spring form pan by using non stick spray inside, and using a paper towel to wipe pan for a more even finish. Also, you may cover the bottom of the pan so the butter does not drip out while baking. Alternately, bake on top of a sheet pan to prevent spills in the oven.

2.    In a food processor, blend up graham crackers (use hands to make pieces smaller before processing), coconut, walnuts, and oats. Feel free to mix in some whole oats after processing for that “whole oat” look in your crust.

1.    Once processed to an even powder, mix with melted butter, sugar, and pour 2 ½ cups into pan. Use a flat bottomed glass or candle holder to press and flatten the crust down, making sure to clean up the edges with a knife for a neater look once the spring form pan is removed.

4.    Bake crust for 15-20 minutes, until edges begin to brown. The crust will firm up quite a bit once cooled, so even if it’s soft after baking, it may already be done. Let crust cool completely, and fill with filling until there is about ½-1/4” until the top of the spring form pan. Freeze for 2-3 hours or overnight.

5.    Time to CAREFULLY remove it from the spring form pan. I would recommend using a sharp knife or skewer along the top edge to break the seal with the pan. At first, mine looked like it was cracking, so I re-tightened the outside of the spring form pan, ran a skewer along the top edge, and once I loosened the pan again, it removed pretty easily. Just be patient with it. At this point, feel free to place it back into the freezer

6.    Place “cheesecake” onto a plate to decorate. Top with fruits like blackberries, strawberries and blueberries (the two latter are actually ingredients in the FoodScience of Vermont Superior Greens powder). I sliced the strawberries in half and left the green parts on because the full strawberries just looked too big. The “cheesecake” would be fine to serve right now, or place back into the freezer for 2-4 hours so the berries begin to freeze and they get a beautiful frosty look to them.

FoodScience of Vermont offers three uniquely designed powdered drink supplements loaded with phytonutrients, stabilized probiotics, and many other beneficial natural ingredients. I really hope you enjoy!

Head to your local Rite Aid® or visit bit.ly/FSSuperiorPowders to get your Superior Powders.

Follow FoodScience of Vermont on social:

Follow the brand’s hashtag on Instagram #livesuperior

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoodScienceVT

Twitter: @FoodScienceVT

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/foodsciencevt/

Instagram: @foodscienceofvermont

Festive Chocolate Bark Recipe

A deliciously sweet and festive treat that only takes a few minutes to create! You will absolutely love how great the flavors of the white chocolate and dark chocolate meld together to satisfy your sweet tooth. Customize the colors and decorations to suit your holiday, team colors, or other special occasions!

INGREDENTS:

1 bag of dark chocolate chips (I used a darker chocolate from Ghiradelli)

1 bag of white chocolate chips (I like Ghiradelli white melting wafers) 

Sprinkles of your choice (At least 3 Tablespoons or more)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Melt dark chocolate either in the microwave or a double boiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour chocolate on. You can smooth it with a spatula to the thickness you desire. Stick in the freeze for 20 minutes.

Melt while chocolate.  Let it set for 3 full minutes (or at least until it slightly thickens). Remove baking sheet with chocolate from the freezer and immediately pour white chocolate on top. Sprinkle on sprinkles. Freeze for 20 minutes.

Once set, break into pieces with your hands (or rubber gloves). Keep refrigerated.

Tres Leches Cupcakes Recipe

These deliciously moist tres leches cupcakes are a new take on a traditional Mexican dessert recipe. 

I was extremely happy with how these Tres Leches Cupcakes turned out. Just as delicious as the traditional Tres Leches Cake, but more easily handled at a party or shower. 

Tres Leches Cake (Recipe originally posted here on the Tastes Better From Scratch Blog)

Prep Time: 1 hr 30 mins  //  Cook Time: 40 mins  //  Total Time: 2 hrs 10 mins

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 5 large eggs , separated
  • 1 cup sugar , divided
  • 1/3 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 12 oz can evaporated milk
  • 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
  • 1/4 cup whole milk
  • Metallic cupcake holders (silicone ones would work well too) - paper cupcake liners will not work for this recipe.
  • Alternately, use a 9"x13" cake pan

For the whipped topping:

  • 1 pint Heavy Cream , for Whipping
  • 3 Tablespoons Sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • ground cinnamon , for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Add foil cupcake liners to tin or alternately, lightly spray a 9x13'' pan with non-stick cooking spray.

  2. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Separate the eggs into two separate bowls.

  3. Add 3/4 cup sugar to the bowl with the egg yolks and mix on high speed until yolks are pale yellow. Add the 1/3 cup milk and vanilla and stir to combine. 

  4. Pour the egg yolk mixture over the flour mixture and stir gently just until combined (don't over-mix).

  5. Use electric beaters to beat the egg whites on high speed. Gradually add the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar as you mix and continue beating until stiff peaks.

  6. Fold egg whites into the batter gently, just until combined. Pour batter into prepared pan(s). If making cupcakes, fill batter about 2/3 full, if making a cake, make sure to smooth batter into an even layer so your baked cake doesn't have divots in it.

  7. Bake cupcakes for 15-20 minutes, or bake cake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow cake(s) to cool completely.

8. Combine the evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, and whole milk in a small bowl. Once the cake has cooled use a wooden skewer to poke holes all over the top of the cupcakes or cake. 

9. Slowly pour the milk mixture over the the top of the cupcakes - Make sure to poke LOTS of holes into cupcakes, or milk mixture will fall over the sides. Pour slowly to avoid overflow, and you will want to soak the cupcakes 2-3 times each. The foil cupcake liners help a lot here, so the milk stays in the liners, making sure to pour near the edges and all around.

10. Refrigerate the cupcakes or cake for at least 1 hour or overnight, to allow it to soak up the milk.

11. In the meantime, whip the heavy cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks. Smooth over the top of the cake or cupcakes. Optionally, sprinkle cinnamon on top. Serve with fresh sliced strawberries or raspberries, if desired. Enjoy!

This was the first recipe where I made successful, homemade whipped cream and have never looked back since!!! 

5 Ingredient Super Moist Pistachio 7UP Layer Cake with Pistachio Frosting Recipe

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #JustAdd7UP

Looking to create a delicious pistachio themed dessert for St. Patrick’s Day and beyond? I have a fun and unique idea for you that looks super elegant but only took a little bit of time to create. This would also make an excellent cake for a birthday, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, other holiday, or just because! In fact, I will be making another one tomorrow evening for a friend’s birthday and she is SO excited!!

I was honored when 7UP asked me to create something special for a holiday that means everything to me. My late grandmother, Pat, was born on St. Patrick’s Day and was one of my very favorite people in the whole wide world. She taught me lots of her recipes and I use several of them quite regularly, and I think of her all the time. She instilled such amazing values on me, and I love her so very much! So, with her in mind, and the luck of the Irish on my side, I present you with this Super Moist Pistachio 7UP Layer Cake with Pistachio Frosting. It’s quite possibly the MOST delicious creation on Earth!

It’s really quite impressive that the base of this cake contains only 5 ingredients, one of them being a can of 7UP. This versatile ingredient adds a lot of moisture to the cake, and with the homemade frosting on top, the two flavors mesh together just perfectly.

If you like pistachio, then you are going to LOVE this delicious and easy-to-create cake! It turned out very elegantly too, which I was very happy with! I didn’t use any super special decorating tools, which made things even easier.

Luckily, I was able to grab all of my supplies at Walmart (I always love when life is easy!)

CAKE INGREDIENTS:

Serving Size: 8-10, Prep Time: 25 Minutes, Total Time: 1 hour 25 Minutes

1 can 7UP®

1 box of vanilla cake mix

1 (3.4 oz) box of pistachio pudding mix

3 eggs

1 cup Vegetable Oil

FROSTING INGREDIENTS:

1 (3.4 oz) box of pistachio pudding mix

8 oz softened cream cheese

½ cup softened butter (1 stick)

5 Tbsp milk

5-5 ½ cups powdered confectioners sugar

1 Tbsp vanilla or almond extract


 

INSTRUCTIONS:

 

  1. To make the cake, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9” round pans with non-stick spray and add a circle of waxed paper or parchment paper to the bottom of each pan. Spray the paper circle, then add a little bit of flour to your pans. Use your fingers to help move the flour around and coat the pans, and knock out any excess flour.

  2. In a large bowl, combine all cake ingredients and mix on medium to high speed for 4 minutes. Scrape sides of mixing bowl at 2 minutes.

3. Using a measuring cup, add half of the batter to each cake round. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until cake springs back when you press onto it.

4. While the cake is baking, make your icing. In a large mixing bowl, first add pudding mix, then butter, cream cheese, and vanilla or almond extract. Beat with a mixer until smooth.

5. Now, to finish your icing, add powdered confectioner one cup at a time, first folding it in with a spoon, then mixing with your mixer so sugar doesn’t fly everywhere. Lastly, add 4-5 Tbsp of milk to begin to thin your icing. Once it’s at your desired consistency, set aside.

6. Once cakes have completely cooled, remove them from the round pans, remove the paper off of the cakes, and add feel free to even out the tops of the layers very carefully with a sharp knife.

7. Add icing to one layer of the cake, smooth into an even layer, then add the second cake round on top. Lastly, cover the top and sides of the cake with a smooth layer of icing with a silicone spatula. Lastly, feel free to use an icing tip or icing in a zip top bag with the corner cut off to draw more designs and textures to the top of the cake. Finish the cake with pistachio pieces around the sides and sprinkled on top! Enjoy!

If you are lucky enough to create this recipe, I would absolutely LOVE to see what you make! Tag me on Instagram as @happysolez, or share the link in the comments below to let me know how it turned out. And, if you have any questions, leave them below too.

Easy Rustic Fruit Pizza Recipe (Fresh Raspberries and Almond Cream Cheese Icing)

With Spring right around the corner, it's fun to create dishes with fresh fruits! This rustic and simple Fruit Pizza is delicious. The crispy, crunchy sweet crust reminds me of churros, and this homemade almond frosting is divine topped with fresh, tart raspberries!

INGREDIENTS FOR CRUST

1 - 7.8 oz. package of Wewalka Bistro Pizza Crust (I used rectangular but round would work too)

1-2 Tbsp melted butter + brush or silicone spatula to spread onto crust

1/2 - 1 tsp cinnamon

2-3 Tsp sugar

INGREDIENTS FOR FROSTING

1/3 C. Cream Cheese (at room temperature)

3-4 Tbsp powdered confectioners 

1/2 tsp almond extract 

1-2 6 oz. containers of fresh raspberries

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) Preheat oven to 400* F and roll out your pizza dough onto a floured surface. This is optional, but it really makes the crust look great. 

2.) Apply melted butter to your unbaked crust with a brush or silicone spatula, then sprinkle on your sugar and cinnamon. Bake for 12-14 minutes until crust is crispy and lightly browned. 

3.) During the baking process, create your frosting. simply beat the mixture of softened cream cheese, confectioner's sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if you want a thicker frosting. 

4.) Lastly, apply your frosting, then top with 1-2 containers of fresh raspberries. I spaced them out a little bit, and found the most attractive side of each berry to place upward. 

Giant Valentine's Day Rice Krispy Treat - a Great Gift Idea

Impress your friends and loved ones with this Giant Heart Shaped Rice Krispy treat! It's super adorable and is an awesome last minute gift idea. This gift takes less than an hour to make, and just a few ingredients and supplies! You could gift this treat atop an adorable pink plate, too!

INGREDIENTS / MATERIALS

6 Cups Rice Krispy Cereal

4 Cups Mini Marshmallows

3 Tbsp Butter (real butter works best)

Heart Shaped Cake Pan (Similar Here from Target) 

White Writing Icing (I love the Betty Crocker Cookie Icing in White, 7 oz. pouch) - found at grocery stores, not generally found at Walmart or Target

Red Food Coloring

Colorful Sprinkles

Parchment Paper and Scissors

Non Stick Spray

INSTRUCTIONS

1.) Trace heart shape onto parchment paper, using pan as your guide. Cut out the heart out. Spray the pan with lots of non stick spray, then place heart paper cutout into bottom of pan.

2.) On the stove top in a large sauce pan, melt butter then add marshmallows and melt/stir until smooth. Once completely smooth, add 4-6 drops of red food coloring, until desired color has been reached.

3.) Add in cereal and stir to fully combine. Add optional 1/3 Cup Sprinkles and stir again. 

4.) Using a large spoon or your hands, transfer treats into heart shaped pan. Press as hard as you can, so the cereal treats get packed into the pan. This is to ensure the heart shape is a good shape.

5.) Once cooled, use a butter knife around the sides of the heart pan to loosen the treats. Flip the Heart Shaped Treat over onto a cutting board or similar surface, and tap the pan to help loosen the treat. Peel off the parchment paper and discard.

6.) To decorate, I used the white decorator icing to first outline the heart shape. I applied even pressure to the icing tube as I went around the edges, beginning at the bottom of the heart, working around the edges. Next, I free handed the word "Love" with icing, in cursive, but feel free to write any message you want! I thought of some pretty funny messages but stuck with something more traditional. 

7.) To gift, I found a plate at Target in the kids plates and dishes section for about 80 cents. You could use a cute paper or plastic plate too. I believe it would be adorable to wrap Saran wrap around the treat and secure it in back with tape, so you can see the design. Hope you enjoy!

Valentine's Day - Adorable Heart Shaped Rice Krispy Treats

If you're looking for a stunning yet easy way to create theseAdorable Heart Shaped Rice Krispy Treats, you have come to the right place! I've been envisioning making these for a few weeks now, ever since I started seeing the Valentine's Day baking supplies at stores for the season. They only contain around 6 ingredients/materials, and prep work is also pretty minimal! 

INGREDIENTS/MATERIALS:

Pink colored Wilton or other candy melts (similar here)

Lollipop Sticks (found here)

6 Cups Rice Krispies Cereal

4 Cups mini marshmallows

Red Food Coloring

Colorful Sprinkles

Silicone Heart Shaped Candy mold from Walmart (similar here)

INSTRUCTIONS (MAKES 6):

1.) Begin making Rice Krispy treats. In a no-stick pot or pan, melt butter and marshmallows until smooth. Add 4-5 drops of red food coloring until the marshmallow mixture is desired color (a darker pink). Now add 1/4 -1/2 C. sprinkles and stir again. Lastly, add Rice Krispies and stir until combined!

2.) During the rice krispy treat making process, melt half the bag of pink candy melts in a microwave safe bowl until smooth. 

3.) Using a large tablespoon, spoon equal amounts of melted candy melts into the heart shaped molds, filling them 1/4 full.

4.) Once candy melts have set for 1-2 minutes but before they are completely hardened, fill the rest of the heart molds with ooey gooey Rice Krispy treats. Press down into mold so they are flat on top.

5.) Once everything has hardened, remove from molds. If the pink candy toppings have separated from the Krispies, simply melt 4-5 more candy melts and attach them back together with a spoon full of melted candy.

6.) Lastly, optionally insert lollipop sticks into the heart krispies (they go in VERY easily). Enjoy!

Think of how cute these would be to gift in a big "bouquet" for Valentine's Day! You could wrap them in small celophane treat bags and tie them up with festive ribbons too. 

Making Game Day Cleanup A Breeze with Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection

This post has been sponsored by Glad. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This football season, make Game Day cleanup a breeze! Glad has a NEW and improved version of their already superior trash bags called Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection – now available at Target! If you’re looking for a trash bag that will not leak, and will hold ALL of the mess that can accumulate during a Game Day celebration, then Glad can help. Featuring reinforced side seams, RipGuard™ AND LeakGuard™ I am happy to introduce Glad’s Best Bag Ever!

I styled the most gorgeous Game Day party last Sunday, while watching the playoff games, and had so much fun decorating and hosting friends. I used an aqua and red color scheme, but feel free to use your favorite team colors. The Target party aisle provided nearly everything I needed to keep the color scheme looking perfect throughout all of my décor.

Entertaining friends and family can be a bit of a mess afterwards, but I was not at all concerned with cleanup, because I had made a Target run the day before to stock up on everything. From Glad bags to treats and party décor, I was set to host the cutest celebration of the season.

Target had almost everything I needed. I first headed to one of the aisle labeled Trash Bags, and grabbed a box of Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection trash bags. Next, I perused their party and celebration aisles and their Dollar Spot at the front of the store (my favorite area of Target) and found red and white cake stands, aqua colored paper plates, red cups, clear treat bags, and aqua colored napkins. I thought that a non team-specific color scheme would be fresh and exciting. I also found my juice bottles to cover with paper, and a few other food items as well.

Since these Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection bags are so new to the market, click any of my images or the graphic below, to buy now! 

I’ve always used some form of Glad ForceFlex trash bags in the past, so I was super pleased to be able to feature such a high quality product in this celebration. I can’t stand when a garbage bag breaks on me, because that’s seriously no fair! I have to take the super full garbage bags all the way outside (let me tell you, we stretch them until they’re FULL at our house – (I call it being conservative, not lazy), and if anything were to get on my clothes from the bag, I get all squeamish. I am sure I’m not alone on this one? So, these Glad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection trash bags are always in my house.

Back to the festivities! I also provided some super delicious football-inspired food at this party. I was so happy when I found cookies at a bakery called San Francisco Cookies! They were already shaped like footballs, so I simply outlined them in chocolate decorator icing, and then I drew the football laces with white decorator icing. It was way easier than making them myself and it saved so much time to not bake cookies.

I also found little chocolate creme sandwich cookies and used that same white icing to draw threads on them too.

I always try to incorporate chocolate desserts for football parties because I love how the color of chocolate reminds me of the football itself. So, I offered guests a few more bakery items like a chocolate layer cake (perfect to feature on the middle cake stand), plus mini chocolate muffins with chocolate chips in them.

I made some wings in my crock pot and found an awesome homemade BBQ sauce recipe that contained brown sugar, ketchup, red wine vinegar, stone ground mustard, and soy sauce. When they were ready to serve, I placed them on another cake stand, and sprinkled sesame seeds on top.

I placed football shaped bowls of BBQ potato chips around, and also filled little clear treat bags with snacks like popcorn and pretzels, then tied them up with a twist tie and football printed ribbons. Everyone likes something a little different, so I offer as many flavors as I possibly can!

I always love seeing customized refreshments, so you can remove the original drink wrappers, and simply cut a piece of scrapbooking paper into 2.5” tall strips, and cut them to fit around the bottles. I used a brown and white football printed design!

I also found the cutest “chalkboard” paper bunting that I wrote on with chalk. I used a pencil to sketch out footballs and “GO TEAM” then went back over that with chalk. They turned out so cute!

Thinking about all this food and décor might sound like it makes for a messy house afterwards, but I know thatGlad ForceFlex Plus Advanced Protection trash bags can hold a ton, and won’t leak or rip  – YAY!

I hope I have inspired your next Game Day gathering, and if you share any photos, feel free to leave the link(s) in the comments below! I would LOVE to see how you celebrate and decorate for the big game.

Remember to shop at Target for all of your Game Day and clean up essentials! 

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Vegan Dairy-Free Yogurt Parfait Cups Recipe - Healthier Snack + Dessert Alternative

This delicious alternative to ice cream or other sweets wound up tasting delicious! Get the recipe for these Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Parfaits, created in partnership with Ripple Yogurt and Kroger. 

Could you ever imagine eating dairy-free yogurt? That may seem sort of the norm these days, but can you imagine eating yogurt created from peas? I had a great time experimenting with a fun recipe idea that's been on my mind for some time now - frozen yogurt parfait cups with graham cracker + oat crusts! 

INGREDIENTS:

1-3 flavors of Ripple yogurt (I used strawberry, vanilla, and blueberry)

10 Graham Crackers (choose honey free for true vegan), crushed into an even consistency

5 Tbsp melted Vegan Butter, such as Earth Balance Organic 

3 Tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

pinch salt

Blackberries, kiwi, and any other fruit for toppings

Other items: silicone muffin cups, muffin tin, spoon for mixing

These Dairy-Free Frozen Yogurt Parfaits are inspired by Ripple yogurts, available at Kroger!

INSTRUCTIONS:

1.) For the crust: melt butter in a medium bowl, and add crushed graham crackers, oats, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. 

2.) Fill prepared silicone or paper cupcake liners with crust mixture 1/3-1/2 and bake for 5-7 minutes at 350* F.

3.) One cooled, fill cupcake liners the rest of the way with yogurt. Freeze for 30 minutes, and then top with chopped fruits. Freeze at least 1 more hour, until cups are completely frozen. Remove them from the cupcake tin, and remove the wrappers, and reveal your beautiful layers of dairy-free, vegan ingredients!What a tasty snack!

In 2015, Ripple founder set out to separate the fats from peas and create a milk-lie substitute that is great for people who want an alternative to dairy (source: Food&Wine). "Dubbed Ripptein, the additive strips away plant flavors and leaves behind only protein, according to Fast Company. (That's one reason Ripple's pea milk doesn't taste like liquefied legumes.).

Now, I will admit, this yogurt does have less of a smooth texture than I was used to, but once I froze this yogurt into these delicious fro yo cups, everything was divine! Feel free to try this recipe out with any mixture of yogurt, fruit, and other ingredients that you would like!

"From a biochemical standpoint, milk is protein, and fat, and sugar," Neil Renninger, Ripple cofounder and co-CEO, told Fast Company. "There are plenty of plant sugars you can use, and plenty of plant fats. There are also plenty of plant proteins you can use, but the problem is that they all taste like the plant they derive from. We had to figure out how to make a plant protein that didn't taste like a plant protein."

The company's new pea half-and-half, which Fast Company says dissolves into coffee "like the real thing, without the calories," launches in July, while customers may have to wait until the end of this year—or possibly early next year—for its yogurt.

Renninger admitted neither the half-and-half nor the yogurt were easy to create. For example, "with half-and-half, the challenge was getting something that worked well in coffee, but also would work well in a culinary situation," he said. "It's a bit of a balance providing that creaminess and a clean taste. Protein is an important part of the creaminess in half-and-half, but if you don't have clean protein, you can't get that creaminess without adding off flavors."

How To Make A Simple Yet Spooky No-Bake Halloween Ghost Cake

I created the cutest Halloween Cake ever and I am so happy to share it with you. I designed two versions, one in a more black and white color scheme, and also one with a bit more color. You can use the design as inspiration for whatever sort of Halloween decor you may enjoy best.

The most important part of sourcing the Ghost Shaped Peeps. I found mine at Walgreens (not my local grocery store though). I used the Ghost Peeps packs containing 9 pieces each, and two packages fit around the cake with a few to spare. 

Well, let's get spooky and decorate this cake!!! And, please comment below if you're making any special treats inspired by Halloween. I'd love to hear all about them!

No baking is required for this awesome cake! 

- 2 Sour Cream Bundt Cakes in Chocolate or Vanilla

Raspberry Jelly

Dark Chocolate Icing (1-2 containers)

Ghost Peeps

Candy Corn + sour Gummy Worms (Optional, only for more colorful cake design)

Silicone Spatula for icing cake

1.) Remove the plastic top of the first bundt cake's container. Using a serrated bread knife, CAREFULLY slice the top off of the bundt cake to make it as flat on top as possible.

2.) Invert the cut cake onto a plate or cake stand and make sure it's level.

3.) Add a thin layer of raspberry jelly to the top of the first bundt cake.

4.) Carefully slice the top off of the second bundt cake, and invert that to sit it on top of the first layer of cake. 

5.) Add dark chocolate icing to the entire outside of the 2 layer cake. Make it as smooth as you can! The bottom half of the chocolate icing will be covered with Ghost Peeps, so don;t worry too much about how smooth it is, mainly making sure it's not too messy. Wipe off any excess chocolate icing around the bottom of the cake and the plate as possible, with a wet paper towel.

6.) Time to decorate! Open up two packages of Peeps, and keep the Peeps in their sets of three. Support the cake with one hand, and gently apply each set of three ghosts around the bottom edge. I used 12 or 15 Peeps around the bottom plus one extra Peep to fill in the small gap I had. Make sure to keep supporting the cake as you add Peeps or it may fall over! I just LOVE how chic and elegant this cake looks!

But, I had to go a little further with the design. If you're looking for a more colorful version of this cake, here you go.

By carefully adding sour gummy worms one at a time, I was able to make a neat pattern out of them, leaving attractive negative space in between each worm. I kind of shaped them as I stuck each one on. I also added candy corn to the top of the cake, and LOVE how it turned out! What do you think?

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4-Ingredient, No Churn Conversation Heart Ice Cream Recipe + An Amazing New Shopping List App - Board To Table

Check out this exciting new App, that takes your Pinterest recipes and makes a shopping lost for you, right on your phone! Also, this Valentine's Day Ice Cream recipe is divine - you will definitely want to make it for someone you love :)

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