Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

I wasn't sure whether to call these muffins or mini cakes.  I decided that since they were made in a mini muffin pan, muffins they would be. If you didn't add the icing on top, these would be the perfect bite sized breakfast treats. With the icing on top, they become a fabulous dessert.  

I made these for Easter this year. While looking for items to add to my menu, I looked for simple recipes. I was three and a half months pregnant at Easter. I was sick, exhausted and not really in the mood for spending all Easter in the kitchen making a meal. These muffins ended up being the perfect dessert. They were quick, easy to make and even easier to just pop in your mouth. The little one snacked on them from the minute they came out of the oven. She was a big fan. Everyone else enjoyed them after our lunch. I loved that they weren't too filling yet satisfying for the sweet tooth. Exactly what we needed after a filling Easter lunch.

Mini Carrot Cake Muffins

Courtesy of Six Sisters' Stuff

Bite-Size Carrot Cake:
(Makes 48 cakes)
Ingredients:1 carrot cake mix
3 eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1/2 cup raisins
3/4 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Mix together cake mix, eggs, oil, pineapple, raisins, coconut, and walnuts until completely incorporated. Spoon the mixture into greased mini muffin tins, until each one is about 2/3 full. Bake for 15 minutes. Let cool completely, and then top with frosting. I used store bought frosting and a Pampered Chef icing tip.  ]

Chicken Apple Sausage Skillet

Looking for a healthy, clean eating, quick dinner?  This is it. 

Fresh summer veggies with sweet chicken apple sausage is our go to summer dinner.

This dish took me less than 20 minutes to make. 

It was full of flavor and filling. 

Husband and toddler approved. 

Add this to your summer menu today! 

Ingredients: 
1 package of chicken apple sausage, sliced
1 squash cut into 1 inch pieces
1 zucchini cut into 1 inch pieces
2 sweet potatoes cut into 1 inch pieces 
2 TBS coconut oil 
salt and pepper to taste

Directions: 
All you have to do for this recipe is sautee all of the ingredients. I did the sweet potatoes with a little coconut oil first because they take the longest in a medium skillet. When they're finished I put them in a large skillet on low. Next, add a little more coconut oil to the medium skillet and sautéed the zucchini and squash. Once they're cooked through, I add them to the large skillet. Last is the sausage, it doesn't take long.  Once everything is cooked, I combine it all in the large skillet and season it with salt and pepper. 

You can eat it as is or serve over brown rice or quinoa. 

Crumb Cake Donuts

Over the past few months we've fallen out of our Saturday donut tradition.  It's mostly because I'm starving when I get up and don't feel like a. making them and b. waiting the ten minutes for them to bake. It is a goal this summer to get back to that tradition.  

Before our donut hiatus, we made these crumb cake donuts. I love cinnamon sugar, especially on a donut. I usually use this muffin mix to make muffins, which disappear in a flash at our house.  I decided to try to make them in the donut plans this time.  They did not disappoint. Not only were they easy to make they went perfectly with a warm cup of coffee.  Enjoy!

Ingredients: 
1 box of cinnamon swirl crumb cake muffin mix
2/3 cup of water
1 egg

Directions: 
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a bowl, combine the muffin mix, water and egg.  Mix well, getting rid of the clumps.
3. Using a plastic bag (I use sandwich size with a tip cut off) spread the mix into greased donut pans.
*This is the easiest way I have found to put the mix in the pans. It is mess free and makes perfectly round donuts.  Make sure they are about 3/4 full.
4. Top the muffin mix with the crumb cake mixture.  I made sure I pressed it into the top of the muffin mix.
5. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

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Brown Sugar Meatloaf

The reason I picked this recipe was because of the onion soup mix.  A few nights before I had just made sticky chicken in the crock pot.  One of the few ingredients in that recipe was dry onion soup mix.  When I bought it, there were two in the pack. So I went in search of a recipe that called for onion soup mix.  If I didn't find one within the week there is a strong change the mix would have gone into the pantry and I would have forgotten about it until I did a pantry clean out. 

Meatloaf is a great family recipe. It only takes a few minutes to prep. While there is a longer cooking time, it's hands off time. Add some veggies and you're good to go. The mini usually will eat meatloaf without an issue. This particular recipe was great. I always rate my recipes on what the husband thought. Mainly because I'm not picky and I think most of the things I make are pretty good. It took a minute for him to realize how much he enjoyed this meal. He didn't say much in the beginning but as he kept eating he started to rave. He even went as far as saying this was one of the best meatloaf recipes I've made. My favorite thing about this particular meal is how moist the meatloaf was. It wasn't too sweet thanks to the onion soup mix, all of the ingredients meshed well together.  

If you're looking for a family friendly recipe, this will surely pass the test! 

Brown Sugar Meatlaof

Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/4 pound ground turkey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup almond milk (or whatever milk you use)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 package of dry onion soup mix
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup Italian bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a loaf pan or casserole dish.
2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, ketchup and 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce. Divide evenly among three separate bowls; set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine garlic, Worcestershire sauce, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, soup mix, ginger, bread crumbs and one bowl (1/3) of prepared brown sugar/ketchup mixture. Add ground turkey to the mixture and mix to thoroughly combine.
4. Shape into a loaf and spoon one bowl (1/3) of prepared brown sugar/ketchup mixture onto the top of the loaf.
5. Place the meat loaf, brown sugar/ketchup side down, into prepared casserole dish. Top with remaining bowl (1/3) of prepared brown sugar/ketchup mixture.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, until juices are clear or until thermometer inserted into the loaf reads 160 degrees F. 

7. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing.