have some pumpkin chocolate cake

crisp, chilly fall is here. i've resumed my cold weather uniform of fleece pants, smart wools, and 2-3 layers on top. i've also sought every excuse possible to turn on the oven and get yummy smells and warmth into the house.

which is why i made an entire pumpkin chocolate sheet cake for just our family. fortunately some friends came over at the last minute and shared it with us. :) 

and i'm here to share the recipe with you.

 pumpkin chocolate sheet cake
4 eggs
1 cup light olive oil or vegetable
1 2/3 cup sugar
1 can of pumpkin (about 2 cups)
2 cups flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. nutmeg
chocolate chips

in a large bowl, beat eggs, oil and sugar until well blended. add pumpkin and mix thoroughly. in separate bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. gradually add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture. mix until smooth. add chocolate chips and mix. pour into greased and floured 11x17inch jelly roll pan. bake at 375 for 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. spread chocolate fudge frosting over cake.

chocolate fudge frosting
1/2 cup butter
4 T. unsweetened cocoa
6 T. buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 lb. powdered sugar
pinch of salt

heat butter, cocoa and buttermilk to boiling in saucepan. remove from heat and mix in vanilla and sugar and pinch of salt. frosting is runny but hardens as it cools.

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in other news, this quirky song has been in my head for several days now. if you haven't watched the video before, it gets really fun at 2:50. makes me wish i was a ballerina. 

Green Green Smoothies...It's green but what else is about it?!

My kids aren't super, super picky eaters but i can easily go a day without getting anything green into them if i'm not on top of it. This is where the green green smoothies come to the rescue. They are our favorite easy go-to dinner choice...(we usually only have these for dinner when Handy Andy is flying even thought he's a pretty good sport as long "smoothies" aren't on the menu too often. ha:)

Ok, so here's whatcha do for approximately 5 Green Green Smoothies

* about 3 cups plain yogurt. If i'm low on frozen fruit sometimes i'll add some strawberry yogurt or just a little extra honey to sweeten it up a bit
* at least 2 frozen bananas ( tip: i always freeze bananas in chunks so they are easier to blend)
* maybe a cup of frozen blueberries or strawberries
* fill the rest of the blender full with Spinach
*a splash of milk or juice to help get it moving
* a couple of ice cubes

{sophie was set on a picture of her with her hand in her mouth. i don't know what it means.}

then BLEND! i usually throw in some more spinach leaves at this point. just for extra fun.

Ok, now pour it into bowls.
Next step is to make the extra super double green shot.
Here's what i do:
* With the left-over shake that is still in the blender i add maybe 1 cup extra yogurt,
*a couple more handfuls of spinach
* 1/2 of an avocado
* a couple of chunks of froz. banana
*BLEND again. It will look kinda weird. like guacamole. in fact, the first time i did it i was planning on just giving it to ben because i figured he wouldn't notice the extra green goopiness. But then i thought i should taste it to make sure it wasn't gross or "dross" as we say in our family now. And guess what??
It was yummy. so i added some super double green shots to each of our bowls and it made them look fancy and beautiful. :)

Ok, since i just made a reference to "dross" i just have to ask, have you guys watched the kid history videos??? DO it. You will laugh. "It's green. but what else is about it?"

We let our kids watch it with us and they memorized the lines almost instantly and now they have become apart of our everyday language. Especially when we eat something green. It's great.

Ok, next sprinkle some yummy granola on top and enjoy. with a spoon. :)

What do YOU do to get more green into you and your kids??

whole wheat blondies are GOOD for you

At least that's what i tell myself!
Well, hope everyone out there is doing well. I realize i've kinda fallen out of touch with my blog this month...i've been tired and overwhelmed...you know, the feelings that are most common with moms of young kids. But anyway, i thought i'd share my stand-by dessert recipe with you. I made these on Sunday when some good friends came over and since they are so quick and easy i thought you should make some too! I've added to and changed several things about the original recipe that i now claim it as my own. :)

Whole Wheat Blondies

2 cups brown sugar

2/3 cup butter

1 tsp instant coffee granules

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup white chocolate chips

1/4- 1/2 semi sweet chocolate OR 1 square unsweetened chocolate chopped up

1. Grease a 13x9 baking pan. In a medium sauce pan melt the butter, brown sugar and coffee on med. heat. stirring constantly until mixture is smooth and melted. Take off heat and let cool slightly before adding eggs. Add eggs one at a tine, stir in vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in half of the white and dark chocolate pieces and stir gently. They will melt and swirl

2. Spread into baking pan and then sprinkle with remaining chocolate pieces. 

3. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes depending on your oven. I always check it around 18 to make sure it doesn't get too cooked. You want to take it out when the center is just set. Cool and cut into squares. 

If you don't over bake these, they have the perfect texture to be cut into shapes if desired. Stars or holly cut-outs maybe?

So, enjoy! I have big ideas to make and post, but for now they are just ideas in my head, so we'll see if they come to anything. Oh, and thank you for all your very nice words about my craft show. You all are so nice. :)

popsicles

Have you made popsicles yet this summer?! They have been on our summer list and so, as much as i dislike the ALL-OVER sticky mess that comes with it, we finally made some. And they are yummy. And fun. And worth it. :)

Here's what you need for our  Orange Cream "recipe"

*Little plastic "bathroom cups"
*Popsicle sticks
*A banana, sliced into medium thick slices
*Orange juice
*Yogurt, plain or flavored

1) Have kids stick a popsicle stick into a banana slice. And place in bottom of cup. This way the sticks stand up in the cup!
2) If you are using plain yogurt add a little honey, sugar or agave syrup to sweeten. Then fill half of cup with the yogurt
3) Fill the rest up with oj
4) Place cups in a baking dish and stick in freezer for several hours. We discovered that they take a bit longer to freeze inside the dish but it does help to prevent sticky spills all over the freezer.
5) When firm to touch, gently squeeze the bottom of the plastic cup and your popsicle will POP right out. :)

 Do you have an easy popsicle recipe to share?? There are a few more weeks left in summer and i'm sure the kids are going to ask to do this again. :)

Don't you LOVE this mouth-full-of-summer-goodness face. :)

linking to Just a Girl

my favorite tacos

So, i don't usually post recipes because well...my creativity in the kitchen is often lacking. in a big way. My sister and i used to be nearly obsessed with planning and cooking new and exciting recipes each week when we were still living at home but now with 4 kiddos and a Handy Andy who is out of town several days a week, food tends to get a little boring and predictable.  However that doesn't prevent me from dreaming about good food and when summer comes i especially get in the mood for new/fresh ideas. A couple of months ago i challenged myself to make at least one meal a week that was out of the norm. I have't completely stuck with it but i found myself  flipping through magazines at the  Dr. office this week and got TWO new recipe ideas to try.  I made the pasta dish yesterday and it was alittle "blech". It might have helped if i actually had the recipe written down. (My memory has severely suffered with each pregnancy and has never recovered)

 However, for this Taco recipe i still didn't follow the exact directions or ingredient list but it was amazing nonetheless. i think i ate 3...maybe 4. whew, all that to say, here's the recipe. The overall theme is borrowed from "Martha Stewart Living." (i think) or maybe it was "Real Simple"??

Meg's Favorite Tacos
serves: about 4-6, makes about 10 tacos

a few T. of olive oil
1  small red onion, sliced thinly
3  garlic cloves, sliced thinly
1  can great northern beans or cannellini (is there a difference?)
Coarse Salt and ground pepper
3 Chicken Tenders, cut up into bite-size pieces (Opptional- i was going to leave it out but happened to have some in the fridge, defrosted)
2ish Cups of Spinach, Cut in strips
10  yellow corn tortillas
Maybe 2 cups Montery Jack Cheese
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Sour Cream


1. Heat oil in a large skillet over med. heat
Cook onions and garlic until soft, maybe 5ish minutes
Stir in Chicken Tenders (opptional) until opaque
Stir in Beans, 1 cup of the Spinach
Sprinkle salt and pepper to taste.
2.Using tongs, carefully hold each tortilla over a gas burner until nicely toasted and heated, or heat in oven, wrapped in foil. Sprinkle cheese into the tortilla to melt, Spoon filling onto tortillas. Top with cilantro, a little extra fresh spinach and sour cream on the side

Chocolate Almond Joy Bars

These have been an absolute favorite dessert of mine for several years so when i needed to make some desserts for a party over the weekend i knew these had to be included. They make a lot so they are great to share! :)

Chocolate "Almond Joy" bars 

2 cups chocolate crumbs (oreo)

6 T. butter, melted

6 T. powdered sugar

14 oz. sweetened condensed milk

3 3/4 cup sweetened, flaked coconut

1 cup sliced almonds (toasted)

2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup white chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350'. Combine crumbs, melted butter, and sugar and then press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. 

Next, combine the condensed milk, coconut and sliced almonds and drop by dollops onto the crust and carefully spread to the edges.

Bake 20-25 minutes and cool.

Melt the chocolate chips and cream over med-low heat until smooth, stirring often. Spread chocolate evenly over bars and then sprinkle with white chocolate chips.

Cover and let cool completely in refrigerator. Cut into squares.

ENJOY! :-)

linking to "life made lovely monday"