Coca Cola Cupcakes

I am a HUGE Coca-Cola Fan. I pride myself on my Cola of choice and do not drink Pepsi. I also love sweets so these cupcakes are a no brainer. I cannot wait to scarf down at least half of these!

~Saucy Mom Jess

Coca-Cola Cupcakes with Salted Peanut Butter Frosting
Yield:
12-14 cupcakes                                                                                   

Cupcakes:
1 cup Coca-Cola
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1/4 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a cupcake pan with baking papers.
2. In a small saucepan, heat Coca-Cola, cocoa powder, and butter over medium heat until butter is melted. Add sugars and whisk until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together.
4. In a small bowl, whisk egg until just beaten, then whisk them into the cooled cocoa mixture until combined. Gently stir flour mixture into cocoa mixture.
5. Use a 1/4 cup measure to pour batter into the cupcake papers. Bake cupcakes for 25 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed in the middle.
6. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before frosting.

Note: Diet cola cannot be used as a substitute for regular cola in this recipe.


Salted peanut butter frosting:
4 cups powdered sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 tbsp. heavy cream
Sea salt for sprinkling
Chocolate jimmies
Ground salted peanuts

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine powdered sugar, butter, peanut butter and salt. Mix on low speed until just combined, then switch to high speed.
2. Add heavy cream one tablespoon and beat until mixture is lightened and smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped. Pipe onto cooled cupcakes.
3. Garnish with jimmies, ground peanuts and a sprinkling of sea salt.

Recipe Curtiosy of http://www.sprinklebakes.com/

Buffalo Chicken Dip - Part II

By far, this is my favorite dip to make... but after years of making it the same way, I needed a sprucer! Only one ingredient different from my other dip recipe, but it changes the flavor quite a bit. If you are lucky enough to have Syberg's Wing Sauce in your local grocery store, then this recipe's for you... if not, order it online and make this immediately!

Ingredients

• 1 8-ounce package cream cheese
• 2 cups cooked chicken (a store-bought rotisserie chicken works best, but canned is fine too), shredded
• 1-2 cups Syberg's wing sauce (eyeball it)
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 cup Hidden Valley Ranch dressing
• 1 cup shredded mexican blend cheese (I am going to just say, I add all of the bag honestly) 

Directions:
Start by heating the butter and cream cheese with the shredded chicken over medium heat. Add sauce and ranch. Stir constantly over medium heat until evenly heated. Add cheese. Once melted, served immediately.

This also warms up great, so prep early or put in your crock pot on low.

Best EVER Muffin Recipe

I have a soft spot for Muffins... Chocolate Chip especially although I am not prejudice on what the muffin has to offer. Here is my basic muffin recipe - Start here and add Chocolate chips, any type of berry, nut, etc.This recipe makes about 12, I always double it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1/4 cup melted butter

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.
3. Variations: Chocolate Chip Muffins: 1 cup Chocolate Chips (I use Mini's). Blueberry Muffins: Add 1 cup fresh blueberries. Raisin Muffins: Add 1 cup finely chopped raisins. Date Muffins: Add 1 cup finely chopped dates. Cheese Muffins: Fold in 1 cup grated sharp yellow cheese. Bacon Muffins: Fold 1/4 cup crisp cooked bacon, broken into bits.
4. Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.

Baked Spaghetti

Let me start this recipe by saying - YOU CAN PREP THIS THE NIGHT BEFORE. Yes, you read that right. Stop and think - Should I rush after work when we have practice and showers, and bedtimes and laundry, and ......
Weeknights are rough, so start by prepping meals in advance. Only takes 15 minutes of you time, and just think - you preheat your oven, pop it in, and dinner is served, home cooked. Plus, it warms up PERFECTLY! Serve with garlic cheesy bread.

I love pasta. I could eat pasta everyday if i didn't feel guilty about it ... I don't have those "Skinny" genes...
This pasta is EASY, delicious, and perfect for any day of the week.

Baked Spaghetti

Ingredients:

• 3/4-1 pound lean ground beef
• (2) jars your Favorite Pasta Sauce (I use Zia's)
• (1) 16oz Can of diced Italian tomatoes
• 1-2 cloves of fresh garlic, minced
• 1 pound spaghetti - cooked al dente
• 1 cup shredded Mozzarella Cheese (for topping)
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan reggiano

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). 
2. In large skillet, cook hamburger until brown, drain. Mix sauce, tomatoes, garlic into skillet. Reduce heat and simmer. 
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Mix in pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. 
4. Mix together spaghetti and meat mixture, pour into 9x13 pan. Top with both parm & mozzarella and bake for 30 minutes, or until heated through and cheese is bubbly on top.

Summertime

Hello! It's been 3 crazy months since I last blogged. This summer for our little family was jammed packed with Adventures around town, out of state visitors, and many items scratched from our Summer Bucket list. Many items still on the list as we go through Fall/Winter hoping to scratch everyone off before the End of 2012. As tradition, we collected magnets every place we stopped.

Our youngest member of our family turned 1 in July, and we throw an amazing birthday party for Garrett filled with great food, wonderful friends and family and of course lots Presents (Might I ad, too many for a 1 year old!)

Photos by: Full Circle Photography

A friend of mine made a gorgeous Giraffe Cake just for him and he devoured it.

I was on "Stay-Cation" the week of his birthday so I did what any Busy Mom would do with free-hands - I made the party decorations.

It is so hard to believe he's already one, already walking and talking and making decisions. He is such a sweet little boy, and we are very blessed.

For our oldest boy, Football began late July with camp following 4 practices a week. Our week nights only got busier as we were rushing around trying to figure out the perfect schedule that fits us since 2 hours a evening, 4 nights a week, is a lot for one person in a whole after working 8-10 days and commuting.

Now our Saturday's are gone as well as we travel all around the county to football games - but seeing his smile and excitement when he plays makes all the hours I also put into the sport worth it.






Through the summer months I started slowing feeling aggravated as time wasn't there to enjoy cooking and baking as I liked. Quick Meals started to become common in my home and I quickly stopped it. I starting prepping food ahead of time, and testing recipes to see if they would hold up. To my surprise, some of them did, and some of them didn't.

As Fall approaches, I plan to blog more, start a FOODIE Bucket List, Cook often, and add in some "Me Time". Mommy's job is never done, but no one said it can't be paused for a moment or two.