Kitties, Cookies, and Cake!

I know what you're thinking, and I too am quite surprised he fit into the bathroom sink!

This is what I woke up to one morning when I walked into the bathroom. He likes to be left alone so he finds these peculiar places to sleep. Silly Kitty!

So, the past couple of days I've had this RAGING sweet tooth! What do I turn to when this happens?! Cookies!! Peanut butter cookies at that! I wanted to make cookies, but I wanted something quick. Of course, 1-2-3 Peanut Butter cookies. I have been making these cookies for years and they are so easy and delicious! They have a chewy consistency and are super rich and only have 3 ingredients!

1-2-3 Peanut Butter Cookies

Makes about 18 cookies

1 cup Peanut butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

Preheat oven to 350. Mix everything together in a bowl, sometimes I like to add 1 tsp. vanilla as well. It sometimes helps to chill the batter for about a half hour or so, especially when working in a warm environment so the cookies don't spread as much.  Drop onto ungreased cookie sheets, bake 10-12 minutes.

And voila!

If you're like me, you probably can't wait a couple of minutes for them to cool and just stuff them into your mouth like a crazy person and burn the roof of your mouth. Yeah, but so worth it.

And cake. My grandfather is turning 75! Just your basic yellow cake with buttercream frosting, but oh so yummy! Happy Birthday, Grampa!

Oven Fried Pickle Slices

An adorable picture from a friend this morning! Everyone say "awwww!" You know you wanna!

Beautiful Amazing World on Facebook!

So Fried Pickles. They pretty much equal love. So fantastic-ly delicious. If you have not tried these little gems ever, I suggest giving them a try. If you don't like pickles, well I'm not one to judge, but WHY?

Oven Fried Pickle Slices

   Makes 6 servings.

1 jar pickle slices(It is best with slices not spears)

2 eggs

1/3 cup flour

1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce(I omitted this)

1 tsp hot sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp Cajun seasoning

1 tsp pepper

1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs

Ranch dressing + hot sauce for dipping(Optional)

Put oven broiler on high. In a medium bowl, mix together eggs and flour. Add Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and pepper. Mix well. Put panko bread crumbs onto a large plate. Dunk each pickle slice into the egg mixture, then dredge it in the panko bread crumbs. Put coated pickles on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Place pan in the middle rack of the oven. Broil for about 3 minutes on each side. They don't take long! Be sure to watch them. Serve with Ranch dressing and a dash of hot sauce.

*Note* Make sure the pickle slices are dried using paper towels before starting the coating process so the coating will stick more easily! I sent the ingredients to make these over to a friend in NY and the pickles weren't dried so she had a bit of trouble. I didn't eat with ranch or additional hot sauce and they tasted just fine!

Source: The Culinary Couple

Pasta with Ground Turkey and Peas

~Dinner for two~

This was a special dinner for my boyfriend and I. I just happened to use ground turkey instead of ground beef, but it will come out just as delicious with ground beef! I served some crusty bread along side the pasta.  The wine was very good as well! I prefer the fruity flavors when it comes to wine. I'm no expert on wine either so of course if you have a better selection, that would be just fine. If you love meaty pasta and don't mind peas, I think you will be very pleased with this recipe!

Pasta with Ground(turkey) and Peas

Serves 8-10 people

(Depending on if serving as main or side dish)

1 standard box of penne pasta

1 small pkg. frozen peas

1 pkg.(20 oz.) ground turkey

1 24 oz jar of favorite pasta sauce(tomato based)

Crusty bread of choice(I used a French bread)

Optional: grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium high heat for the pasta. When the water comes to a boil, add pasta, cook for about 5 minutes and then add the frozen peas and cook 5 to 10 minutes longer. Meanwhile, spray a skillet and cook the turkey on medium high heat until cooked all the way through, about 10 to 12 minutes. Put aside. Drain the pasta and peas and return back to pot. On low heat, add the sauce and turkey to the pot. Incorporate everything all together and get a whiff of that smelly goodness. Prepare your bread however you like. I like to toast mine and slather it with garlic butter. Recipe below. Plate your pasta and dump sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Garlic Butter

A nice glob of butter(I don't measure), partially melted

about 1/2 tsp of  garlic powder give or take a little

a few sprinkles of parsley flakes

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl and you have yourself some garlic butter!

For the love of breakfast

Breakfast. I feel like that word needs emphasis. Breakfast. Need I really say more?! One more time, Breakfast just so happens to be my favorite meal of the day. Call me crazy, but I can literally go out to eat at two in the afternoon and still order breakfast. A lot of the time, I cook breakfast for dinner. What is this obsession with breakfast all about? I think it is about the variety of food. The eggs, bacon, pancakes, cinnamon rolls, crepes, sausage, homefries, waffles, toast, on and on and on. Are you hungry yet?! Now lets go back to cinnamon rolls...

I make them from time to time. I was using the recipe on the Pillsbury hot roll mix for a while,

(This image is from the Walmart website)

until I bought this little guy that I am absolutely in love with!

My Panasonic bread maker does all of my dirty work for me and saves me time! I would totally name him, but that might be a little weird. So in buying a bread maker, I wanted a cinnamon roll recipe that used it. Now while you can pretty much make any cinnamon rolls with a bread maker, some recipes require you to adjust the flour if the amount given isn't enough. I wanted the best I could find. I did a little research and 

BAM Click here for Cinnamon Roll Recipe. I love this recipe because it includes vanilla pudding, which makes the dough much more soft and that much better! I personally don't usually use the cream cheese frosting. With me, it's just the powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pat of butter all mixed together with a splash of milk or water. Whatever you have. 

My beverage of choice to accompany my breakfast. Green Tea ladies and gentlemen. There are many health benefits drinking green tea as well. Read on. It also gives me a nice clean caffeine source and replaced my coffee addiction!

Cinnamon rolls are ready to come out of the oven! BREAKFAST TIME! Even at 4 in the afternoon. ;)

Introduction

Hello!  I thought my very first post should be a little about me, and what I am about. Don't worry, I won't bore you with the "back when I was a little girl...blah, blah, blah." I did however grow up around cooking and learned from a few select family members all of my best kept secrets. I went to school for Culinary Arts straight out of high school and while it was only a one year program, I found out all about the joys of baking. From there, I became very fascinated with cake decorating. I will post the recipe for this little peanut buttery gem a little later...

Which reminds me, I am completely ADDICTED to peanut butter! Addicted is probably even an understatement. I literally cannot keep a jar of peanut butter in the house for fear that I might eat the whole thing. Eeeek! Anyone else share this addiction with me? Or maybe a different food addiction you would like to share? 

While cake decorating is a hobby I am very passionate about, it is just that...a hobby. For family/friends events, I am usually the one asked to bring the dessert, cake, some kind of sweet concoction. Which I totally don't mind one bit because let's face it, we all love to eat whatever is leftover in the mixing bowl, whether it be cookies I'm making, cake, PEANUT BUTTER goodness, I'll always be the first to test it!

What else am I passionate about?! My four babies! Wanna see??

(Belle, Zeus, and Frankie)

(Frankie and Lily)

Three kitties and a rabbit. A full house and I love every minute of it. Each and every one of them adopted from two local human societies. They truly do love each other, and I love them! So much love!

Well folks, speaking of cooking, I am off to make something magical for dinner. Until next time, happy cooking!