SPECIAL DELIVERIES

I LOVE to bake...surprise right?

A sunny day in the kitchen, windows open, apron on, pandora streamed quietly in the background and a recipe just waiting for me to fix it up? Heaven.

There's just one slight problem. 

I only have so many neighbors, coworkers, friends, mailmen boyfriend and dog to consume my creations.

My coworkers are conviced I'm trying to get them all fat and I think my neighbors are getting sketched out by all the random goodies (I promise they're not poison!). And although I believe most things in moderation are ok and I usually healthfully-amend my recipes, trying to consume an entire batch of cookies before they 'go bad' is not good for anyone.

Soooo my recently-discovered solution?

Surprise! Special Delivery :)

I whipped up a batch of these BEST-EVER Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies, these Chocolate! Chocolate! Chocolate! Cookies, and [modified] Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bread (all compliments of Pinterest) over the weekend and off they went!

Nowadays with all communication going electronic everyone loves receiving some good-old-fashioned, non-bill mail right? Now imagine that mail edible and delicious...JACKPOT

Keep an eye out, you might be next!

IT'S PUMPKIN SEASON...

...Although, I think it's always pumpkin season in my house. Ask The Mom, she's the only one that truly understands this; the boy is learning, but I think he still just assumes I've got the temporary cold-weather pumpkin bug.

Sorry Pete, it's not temporary. And I can't help it, I just. Love. Pumpkin.

Flashback 2 months ago, a vendor brought these adorable Starbucks Birthday Cake Pops into the office. A perfect bite-size piece of cake on a stick covered in frosting. Genious. Could not get them out of my head, but needed perfect recipe.

Enter perfect recipe: Pumpkin-Spice Cake Balls dipped in White Chocolate Frosting. Oh my. So yummy. And the extras make for some very happy co-workers.

(adapted from bakeat350.com)

Pumpkin Spice Cake Balls1 Box Yellow Cake Mix

1 Can (15oz.) Pumpkin Puree
2 t. Cinnamon
1/2 t. Ground Ginger
1/4 t. Allspice
1/4 t. Ground Nutmeg
1/2 C. Water
1/4 C. Vegetable Oil
3 Eggs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1/2 - 3/4 can cream cheese frosting
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
White Chocolate Candy Melts

Beat everything together (ending with the eggs) and bake in a 13 X 9" pan according to the package instructions. Make sure the cake is completely baked before removing from the oven. Let cool completely on a wire rack.


Crumble the cake apart in a bowl and add cream cheese frosting. Using your fingers (this is the fun part!), mix thoroughly until the cake holds together when formed into a ball. Add more frosting if necessary. Roll into bite-size balls, place on cookie sheets lined with wax paper and refrigerate several hours.

When ready to dip, melt the white chocolate following the directions on the package. Roll with a spoon and place on another waxed paper lined sheet to harden. Store at room temperature.

Enjoy! 

GHIRADELLI PEPPERMINT BROWNIES

These deserve their own post. They are A-MAZING! 


Warning: This recipe is neither vegan nor healthy, but it is delicious and it is the holidays, so who cares, right? Everything in moderation: serve them in tiny bite-size squares and enjoy!

Ghiradelli Peppermint Brownies

Ingredients

4 ounces Ghirardelli 100% Cacao Unsweetened Chocolate baking bar, broken or chopped into 1 inch pieces

• 1 cup unsalted butter
• 3 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated white sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 (5.32 ounce) bag Ghirardelli Dark Chocolate with White Mint Filling Squares™, unwrapped
• 4 small candy canes, crushed

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch square baking pan with cooking spray and dust with flour, tapping out any excess.
2. In the top of a double boiler or in a heatproof bowl over barely simmering water, melt the unsweetened chocolate and butter, stirring occasionally until smooth. Cool to room temperature.
3. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or whisk, beat the eggs, sugar, vanilla, peppermint extract, and salt until combined. Beat in the chocolate mixture. Gently stir in the flour. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
4. Bake for about 45 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the brownies comes out clean. Arrange the mint squares on top in one layer and return the brownies to the oven until they are just melted, about 1 minute. Evenly spread the chocolate with a spatula and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes. Cool completely before cutting into 2-inch squares.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

I hope yours was as yummy and cozy as mine!


The morning started off with coffee, Christmas music, a few snowflakes (!), and warm homemade Cranberry Nut Bread (highly recommend this recipe):


Ingredients:
1T Ground Flaxseed
3T Water
1/4 C Non-Dairy Butter, melted and cooled
1t Vanilla Extract
1C Orange Juice
1C Non-Dairy Milk
4C All-Purpose Flour
1C Sugar
4t Baking Powder
1/2t Salt
2t Orange or Lemon Zest
1 1/2C Whole Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1C Coarsely Chopped Walnuts


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan.


In a small food processor or blender, whip together flaxseed and water until thick, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter, vanilla, orange juice and milk; blend until combined and set aside.


In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and zest. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and mix in the fruit and the nuts. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 60 to 70 minutes, or until a thin skewer inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Let cool in loaf pan for 30 minutes before turning it over to cool on a wire rack.


So Yummy (and easy)!


Later in the day I headed over to Kyle and Steph's for Thanksgiving dinner...

Also yummy; I'm still full! Thankful for this relaxing day, a warm home (with cute pets!), a full tummy and amazing family.


And of course, YOU; Hope you had a very Happy Thanksgiving!


(...notice I'm not even mentioning the Texas vs. Texas A&M game...sad story.)

MY OFFICE LOVES ME :)

Because I brought in a fresh loaf of this delicious Pumpkin Banana Bread from What We Ate Last Night.

I could eat pumpkin all day long and since you all know I always have bananas getting old in my kitchen, I searched for this recipe to use them both. And it was perfect. I did, howevermade a few minor additions noted below (which were DELICIOUS!):

Pumpkin Banana BreadYou Will Need:3/4 C Evaporated Cane Juice or other Vegan Sugar - I used just under 1/2 C Organic Sugar
1/2 C Maple Syrup
1/4 C Vegetable Oil (I actually used the oil, no applesauce this time! 1/4 cup won't kill you.)
1-1/2 C Whole Wheat Flour
1-1/2 C Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon Vanilla (my addition)1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1 Teaspoon Allspice
1/2 Teaspoon Cardamom (If you have it...)
2-4 Tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk (I used 6-8 Tablespoons of Almon Milk and added 1/2 C Oat Bran and 1/4 C Ground Flaxseed)
1 16 oz. Can Organic Pumpkin
2 Very Ripe BananasMethod:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 bread pans using whatever greasing method you like.

In a large bowl combine sugar, maple syrup, vegetable oil, baking soda and spices. Add flour and stir well to combine. Now add bananas and can of pumpkin. At this point we want the dough to be pour-able but definitely not runny. If your dough is too stiff loosen it up with the aforementioned non-dairy milk.

Pour into pans and bake for 1 hour. Cool in pan for 15-20 minutes then remove to wire rack. Store in closed container. Makes 2 loaves.

I higly recommend (from personal experience) putting the loaves in the oven, setting the timer, then curling up on the couch with a good book and the windows open...the smell of the bread baking and a cool breeze blowing through the house: PERFECTION.

OLD BANANAS + FRESH BLUEBERRIES

I bought some bananas at Trader Joes (Whole Foods for the not-completely-hardcore veggies) a couple weeks ago. I feel like I always buy bananas. I always have high hopes that I'll eat a banana a day for the whole week. And after seven days I always end up with five (I like to buy bananas in fives, it's a weird quirk...) lumps of brown mush. 


It's true, I don't love bananas. I mean, I love bananas in things and banana flavor (yes, I was the kid that would sit and pick out only the banana runts at the candy store...and maybe I still do...), but I don't like the way they always make me feel so full after I eat one. I'd take an apple over a banana any day.


All that aside, I was still stuck with five sad bananas. It's a good thing (1) that Dad's learn to eat anything whether old or leftover after having kids (I think it's part of their Dad contract or something), and that mine still does even after his kids are grown :) and (2) that banana bread is delicious.


So the Dad ate two over cereal throughout the week and I put the other three, along with some fresh hand-picked blueberries from Linvilla Orchards, into this awesome Banana-Blueberry Bread via the FatFree Vegan blog I love.

Blueberry-Banana Bread

3 large over-ripe bananas
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/3 cup (80 ml) vanilla soymilk (or apple sauce)
1/2 cup (120 ml) agave nectar
2 cups (240 g) white whole wheat flour (or regular whole wheat flour)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) blueberries

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or wipe a 9×5-inch loaf pan with oil (I used a silicon loaf pan).

Mix the soymilk with 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and let stand until it curdles. (If using apple sauce, skip this step and add the lemon juice to the bananas.)

In a large bowl, mash the bananas and add the remaining lemon juice, soymilk, and agave nectar. Stir well to combine. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, and stir just until the mixture is well-combined. Fold in the blueberries.

Spread the mixture evenly in the prepared pan and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, about 50-60 minutes. Allow to cool before cutting and serving.

So good. Try it. And now you don't have to feel guilty about those un-eaten bananas; you're not the only one that lets them go brown!

MY BIRTHDAY PRESENT TO YOU

I'm not kidding, that Vegan Chocolate Birthday Cake was so delicious. With the consent of the mom, I have been given permission to share the secret recipe.


(Vegan) Wacky Cake

Ingredients:
Cake:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon white vinegar
5 tablespoons melted veg butter (the Mom used Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
1 cup luke warm water
Frosting:
1/3-1/4 veg butter (see above) softened
2-3 cups confectioners' sugar
2-3 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Almond milk (the mom used almond breeze) as needed to reach desired consistency


Instructions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into ungreased square cake pan; shake pan to level ingredients. Make three indentations with tablespoon. In the first hole put the vanilla, second hole melted butter, third hole vinegar. Pour warm water over entire pan and mix until chocolate syrup consistency. Bake for 30 minutes and let cool.
To make the frosting, cream together all ingredients with wooden spoon; add tiny amounts of alomnd milk until you reach a fudge-like consistency. Spread over cooled cake and enjoy!


(Suggestion: Now double that recipe; it goes fast and you'll definitely want more! :) And I love it served chilled if you can wait that long to dig in.)


Now go make it and tell me you can't tell that's vegan!