Chocolate Spice Bundt Cake

One of my favorite winter drinks is mexican hot chocolate.  Have you ever had it? 

It's amazing.  Chocolate and cinnamon come together in a warm cup of bliss.   

If it's warm where you are, I recommend the mexican mocha ice storm.  You'll thank me later! My love for the combination of cinnamon and chocolate is the reason I chose to make this cake.  

Results:  Perfection.  It's mexican hot chocolate in a cake.  The only change I made was adding a bag of cinnamon chips to the recipe.  I added half of the bag to the cake batter.  I melted the other half and poured it over the cake (after it had cooled).  Enjoy!

Chocolate Spice Bundt Cake

Courtesy of Mix and Match Mama 

Ingredients: 

1 box of chocolate cake mix

2 small boxes of instant chocolate pudding

1/2 cup of veggie oil

1 1/4 cups of water

4 eggs

4 tablespoons cinnamon, divided

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

3-4 splashes milk

 

 Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease a 10 inch bundt pan

In mixing bowl, combine cake mix, puddings, oil, water and eggs with electric mixer.  Mix in 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.  Pour into prepared bundt pan.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Let cake rest on counter in pan 10 minutes. Then, invert cake onto serving plate to finish cooling.

To make the frosting, beat cream cheese with powdered sugar and milk until creamy.  Beat in remaining 2 tablespoons of cinnamon.  Spread on cooled cake.

 

Easy Pumpkin Centerpiece

I've been in search of the perfect fall centerpiece for our kitchen table.  

I wanted to make something but didn't really know where to start.  

Then a friend texted me a picture of a pumpkin centerpiece she made.  

It looked so simple.  I ran to Hobby Lobby that afternoon picked up supplies. 

I bought everything for under $10, thankfully they had 40% off all of their fall decor.  

The centerpiece took 10 minutes to make.  It's the perfect addition to our kitchen table. 

Materials: 

Craft pumpkin (any size)

Twine

Decorative fillers (floral stems)

Knife 

Marbles (1 small bag) 

Directions: 

Cut the top off the pumpkin (I would cut the circle smaller next time).  

I used a regular kitchen knife, doing a little at a time. 

I poured the marbles into the bottom of the pumpkin.  

I used marbles for the weight and to hold the stems in place.  

After that, I added the floral/ fall stems.  

It took a few minutes to get them arranged the way I wanted.  

I finished off by tying a bow using twine I already had around it.  

Simple as that.

Ranch Breaded Chicken

The night I made this meal, chicken was not on the menu. 

It was a pork chop kind of night, problem was I didn't take the pork out of the freezer. 

Of course I didn't realize it until 4pm. 

What I did have was a package of chicken in the fridge I hadn't separated into freezer bags yet. 

I  jumped on the computer in search of a quick chicken recipe I could throw together. 

Without having a chance to run to the store and only having about an hour before dinnertime.  

I had all of the ingredients for this recipe and it didn't take a lot of time. 

Win win.  

Results: One of the most flavorful chicken recipes I've ever made.  Each bite was full of flavor.  My only complaint is how long it took my chicken to cook.  I should have butterflied the chicken to make it thinner because my pieces were too think to cook in a matter of minutes.  I also think I will try to bake this next time.  Maybe brown it on the stove and then throw it in the over.  I'll keep you posted on that one but nonetheless, still a recipe you won't be sorry you made! 

Ranch Breaded Chicken

Courtesy of Love, Pomegranate House 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 envelope Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix
• 5 tbsp butter divided
• 6 boneless chicken breasts

Instructions

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl, combine Panko, cheese, garlic powder, and Hidden Valley® Original Ranch® Seasoning Mix.
2. Dip chicken in butter, then roll in breading mixture to coat, pressing the breading into the chicken breast.
3. Melt remaining 4 tbsp butter in a large frying pan. Once melted, place breaded chicken into pan. Cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown. Turn and cook for an additional 3-5 minutes. Chicken is cooked thoroughly when the center is no longer pink. 
   
   

One Pot Italian Pasta

If you're looking for a quick and easy dinner recipe, look no further! 

My favorite part of this dinner is the clean up!  

Everything (except meat if you include it) is cooked in ONE POT! 

I was a little skeptical about this meal but it did not disappoint.  

My parents were in town when I made it and everyone enjoyed it.  

I now keep all these ingredients on hand for those days I forget to plan dinner or don't have lots of time.  

Italian Wonderpot

Adapted from A Tasteful Texan 

Ingredients: 

4 cups vegetable broth

2 Tbsp olive oil

12-16 oz whole wheat fettuccini,  linguini or spaghetti 

8 oz chopped frozen spinach 

1 can diced italian tomatoes (28 oz)

4 cloves of garlic (minced)

1 tbsp italian seasoning 

salt and pepper to taste 

*optional- 1 package of italian sausage*

Directions: 

Pour vegetable broth into the pot.  

Break pasta in half and add it to the pot.  

Next, add tomatoes, spinach, garlic and seasoning.  

Make sure all ingredients are under the liquid.  

Place the lid on the pot and bring the broth to a boil. 

Once the broth is at a full boil, remove the lid, bring it down to medium heat and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes.  Stir every few minutes to prevent the pasta from sticking to the bottom.  After pasta is cooked, it's ready to serve.  You can add cheese if you wish.  We opted not to add the cheese but did all grilled italian sausage.  

German Chocolate Baked Donuts

Saturday morning donut dates are something I look forward to each week.  

Last month my family moved from FL to TX.  

We went from having a Dunkin Donuts on every corner to having 3 in our city.  

Closest one to us is 20 minutes away. 

So I went out and bought a donut pan, similar to this one.  

I decided if we couldn't go out for donuts, we would make them at home.  

It would become a little tradition of ours.  

It's much cheaper than our weekend trips to Dunkin Donuts and also a {bit} healthier.  

The first week we made them, I made pumpkin donuts.  They were good, little one and I loved them. 

Hubs wasn't a huge fan.  He doesn't share the same love for pumpkin that I do.  

Last weekend, I let the husband choose the kind he wanted.  

He picked chocolate and chocolate is what he got!

I love making donuts now.  Even my one year old loves them.  

I use the spice cake mix with a can of pumpkin for hers.  

It's fun to make different kinds each weekend, while in pajamas enjoying coffee as the little one tears up the house.  It's our new Saturday tradition, one that I hope is around for many years to come.  

Enjoy! 

German Chocolate Baked Donuts

Adapted from Duncan Hines 

Ingredients:

1 box of german chocolate cake mix (or any cake mix)

1 cup of milk (I used almond milk)

2 large eggs

1 stick of butter (melted) 

1 can of frosting (I used chocolate)

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease donut pan.  

Mix eggs, butter, milk and cake mix.  

Stir until smooth. 

Pour batter into donut pan (1/3 filled). 

Bake 11-13 minutes.  

Let them cool completely.  

Put about half of the container of frosting in a microwavable bowl. 

Microwave for about 20 seconds and stir.  Repeat until the frosting is melted enough for you to easily dip and coat the donuts.  

I dipped them upside down, put them on a cooling rack, coated with sprinkles and let them cool a bit.  

Store in an air tight container for 3 days.  I also froze the leftover donuts in a freezer bag.  

Texas Caviar

Before we moved to Texas, our friends threw us a Texas themed going away party. 

There was amazing BBQ food, cowboy hats, boots, badges and sweet tea. 

All of the food went with the country & cowboy theme.  

My favorite dish of the night was Texas Caviar.  

I couldn't stop eating it, none of us could.  

The next day, I asked for the recipe.  

I kid you not, I've made it once a week since. 

I usually have it for lunch with pita chips or all by itself. 

I do have to say, it's the best with Fritos though.  

This would be a great football party appetizer, although you may want to keep it home for yourself.

Enjoy! 

Texas Caviar 

Adapted from All Recipes 

Ingredients:

1 can of corn (drained)

1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 can of black eyed peas (drained and rinsed)

1 cups of petite tomatoes, quartered 

1 bell pepper chopped 

1 8oz bottle of italian dressing 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

Mix the corn, beans, peppers and tomatoes together.  

Add dressing little by little to coat.  Taste as you go, you may not need the entire bottle.  

I think about 6 oz of dressing is perfect.  You can always add more if you need it.  

Add Salt and pepper to taste.  

*You can add fresh cilantro to the dish.  Since I eat it leftover for a few days at a time, I don't add it* 

*You can also try different variations with onions, red and yellow peppers*

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Cookies

These cookies are hands down one of the best cookies I've ever baked.  Seriously.  I made them as part of a care package for the husband for his drive to TX.  The little one and I didn't move here until 3 weeks after he did, so I made sure to send him with lots of things that let him know how much we loved him and would miss him.  Of course, fresh baked sweets had to be a part of that package.  I also sent some of these in a package for him to bring to work on his first day.  I hoped it would help things start off on the right foot.  

The cookies were not only a big hit with hubs but they were gone at work within an hour. Mission Accomplished! The peanut butter paired with the crunch of the candy and added sweetness of the chocolate and peanut butter chips made for an amazing cookie recipe.  My mom and I had our fair share after they came out of the oven, expressing our love after every bite.  I guarantee you will be the talk of the town if you take these cookies to your next get together.  Or... if you're already thinking about holiday cookie exchanges (like me) these would be a hit! Enjoy!

Reese's Peanut Butter Chocolate Pudding Cookies 

Adapted from For the Love of Food 

Ingredients:

Makes 70-80 cookies!

2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 (3.4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup milk chocolate chips

1 cup Reese's Pieces candy

1 cup peanut butter chips

*the original recipe calls for honey, I didn't have any at home so I didn't add it.  I didn't feel like anything was missing*

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
2.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt and pudding; set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes.
5.  Add eggs, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
6.  Add vanilla extract and honey and beat until combined. 
7. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, beat to combine. 
8. Add chocolate chips, Reeses pieces and peanut butter chips and mix until incorporated. 
9. Roll a tablespoon or so of dough into a 1inch ball between your palms and then place it on the prepared baking sheet.
10.  Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the balls about 2 inches apart (you should be able to fit 12-16 cookies on each sheet). 
11. Using your palm, gently flatten the dough balls until they are about ¾ inch thick.
12. Bake 10 minutes. 
13. Remove from oven, let cool for a couple minutes and enjoy!

Apple Meatloaf with Apple Cider Ketchup

This is a fun twist on meatloaf that makes a fabulous fall dinner.  Enjoy! 

Apple Meatloaf with Apple Cider Ketchup

Courtesy of Kraft Foods 

what you need

1

pkg.   (6 oz.) FRESH TAKE Classic Four Cheese Recipe Cheese Breadcrumb Mix, mixed together

1/4

cup  milk

3/4

lb.  lean ground beef 

3/4

lb.  ground pork

1

large  unpeeled apple, shredded (about 1 cup)

2

Tbsp.   chopped fresh parsley

1

Tbsp.   chopped fresh thyme

1/3

cup  apple cider

1/3

cup  ketchup

make it

HEAT oven to 350°F.

RESERVE 2 Tbsp. cheese mixture.

MIX remaining cheese mixture with milk in large bowl. Add next 5 ingredients; mix until blended. Shape into loaf in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

BAKE 1 hour. Top with reserved cheese mixture; bake 2 min. Combine cider and ketchup; serve with meatloaf.

Banana Mango Fruit Pops

On the first and third Saturday of every month our local outdoor mall has a fresh market.  It's something that we all look forward to.  I stock up on produce, hubs enjoys gourmet grilled cheese and little miss gets a fruit pop.  These fruit pops are amazing.  They have the most unique flavors, last time I was there I had lavender lemonade.  Little miss usually had citrus watermelon and always cries when it's gone.  

Since she loves the pops so much, I decided to make them for her at home.  We were given these Ikea popsicle molds as a favor at a recent birthday party.  They were the perfect size for her pops.  

The first kind I made was banana mango, mainly because it's what I had at home.  

They took minutes to make and I froze them overnight. 

I couldn't wait for AG to wake up from her afternoon nap so we could head outside for her afternoon snack.  After she realized what was happening (water table fun and popsicles) she was just as excited as I was!  The fruit pop was a hit.  AG wouldn't let go of it until it was gone and wasn't a happy camper when that happened.  

Popsicles and water table fun have become my favorite part of our day.  

Ingredients:

2 frozen bananas (thawed a bit)

1 ripe mango

a splash of OJ 

Directions: 

Blend all ingredients together. 

I used a food processor, it took just over a minute.  

Once everything is blended, pour it into the popsicle trays. 

Freeze and Enjoy!

*I run them under a little water to make taking them out a tad easier*

Fruity Pebbles Cookies

How can you see this picture and not want to make these cookies? 

That is what I thought when I came across this recipe on Pinterest.  

These cookies were not only fun but pretty darn tasty!

The crunch was a little different at first but as soon as I got the burst of flavor, I was sold.  

I'm not going to admit how many I ate, but I had way more than I should have! 

I can't wait for my little one to be big enough to bake with me, I know she would enjoy making these cookies.  

Enjoy! 

And if you need something to make with the remaining fruity pebbles, check these out! 

Fruity Pebbles Cookies

Courtesy of Crazy for Crust 

*I omitted white chocolate chips from the original recipe*

Ingredients

1 (3.4 oz) package instant vanilla pudding mix
1  ½ sticks of butter (1+1/2)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal
2-1/4 cups flour

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Whisk together baking soda and flour and set aside.
3. Cream together butter and sugars. Add the pudding package and beat until well blended. Add eggs and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour and mix until just combined. Stir in Fruity Pebbles and white chocolate chips.
4. Scoop 1” balls and place on your cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Let cool

See what other cookie recipes I'm pinning here! 

               Follow Leah @ Leah with Love's board Cookies on Pinterest.    

*Affiliate link used in this post.

Fruity Pebbles Treats

If you are a fan of rice krispie treats, you have to try these.  

I had left over fruity pebbles after making cookies with them (recipe coming soon)  and decided to try out fruity pebble treats.  

I made them the same way I would have made rice krispie treats. 

Results: Hubs and I said we were never eating regular rice krispies again!

That was our initial reaction after the first bite. They were that good.  

They were bursting with fruity flavor.  Crunchy, chewy and absolutely delicious.  

Neither of us could stop eating them.  

Ingredients: 

3 tablespoons margarine (or butter)

1 package regular marshmallows (10oz)

6 cups Fruity Pebbles cereal

Directions:

{1} Melt margarine in large saucepan over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

{2} Add Fruity Pebbles. Stir until well coated.

(3) Using buttered spatula or waxed paper, press mixture evenly into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. 

{4} Wait for them to cool before you cut them. 

{5} Enjoy! 

*Store in an air tight container, should last 2-3 days.

Healthy Chicken Skillet

I made this dinner two weeks ago. 

 I was looking for healthy recipes that I thought my one year old would also eat. 

I'm also a big fan of skillet dinners because I don't have tons of pans to clean when I'm done. 

This dinner didn't disappoint one bit.  

My daughter loved the chicken, quinoa, zucchini, black beans and peppers.  

Since all three of us enjoyed it, this recipe was a big win. 

I even made it again this past week.  

Definitely a must make if you're looking for a healthy recipe the whole family will love! 

Healthy Chicken Skillet 

Adapted from Ready, Set, Eat 

Ingredients: 

1 TBS canola oil

1 cup zucchini (cut into cubes)

1/2 cup diced green bell pepper

1 can black beans, drained (low sodium)

1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)

1 (4.5oz) box quinoa brown rice blend (I buy Near East) 

3-4 chicken tenderloins 

salt and pepper to taste 

Directions: 

1. In a small saucepan, cooke quinoa according to the instructions on the box. 

2. While quinoa is cooking, heat oil in a large skillet and cook chicken.

 I cut mine in cubes before I cooked it.  

2. Once chicken is cooked, add zucchini and peppers.  Cook for 5 minutes. 

3. Add beans and tomatoes, cook for another 5 minutes. 

4. Once everything in the skillet is cooked and warmed through, add the quinoa brown rice blend to the skillet.  Stir well and remove from heat.  

5. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy! 

Cinnamon Apple Pancakes {Toddler}

Now that my little one is eating anything and everything, it is important for me to make sure I'm feeding her healthy meals.  I try to make lots of things myself so I know what is going into her little body.  She also has a dairy allergy, which limits what she can and can't have.  Pancakes are something I've been wanting to make for a while.  The recipe below is changed slightly from the original, I omitted the butter and swapped the milk for soy milk. I was a little nervous about not having any butter but it really didn't make a difference.  I think the recipe make about 23 pancakes.  I kept half out for the week and froze the other half.  The little one love them.  She has 2 each morning and they are gone in no time!

Applesauce Pancakes

Adapted from Wholesome Toddler Food 

1 cup flour – 

1/4 teaspoon salt – 

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder 

1/2 cup soy milk – 

1 beaten egg 

1/2 teaspoon vanilla – 

1 1/4 cups cinnamon applesauce 

a dash or two of cinnamon

Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a medium mixing bowl. Combine milk and egg. Stir into dry ingredients. Add vanilla and applesauce; beat well. Spoon batter into a hot, well greased griddle, enough batter to applesauce pancakes about 4 inches in diameter.

  **Freezes Well**

Dr Pepper BBQ Ribs {Crockpot Recipe}

One thing you won't find in our house is soda.  We don't drink very often.  If we do, it's on an out to eat night and a fountain soda.  A few weeks ago after AG's birthday party we had tons of soda leftover.  Since I knew we wouldn't drink it all, I decided to cook with it.  It had been over a year since I made ribs for dinner, so that is what i decided on.  I knew hubs would be thrilled with my decision. 

 I found lots of recipes for Dr. Pepper Ribs online but none in the crock pot that I had all the ingredients for.  I decided to create my own and I have to say, this one was a success. 

Hubs over and over again praised them while devouring every last bit.  He would take a bite, look at me and say "wow, these are really good". Over and over again.  My toddler even had her fair share.  Hubs has already requested these again, I'm sure we will be having our fair share this football season.  Enjoy! 

Ingredients: 

2 1/2 cups of Dr. Pepper

2-4 lbs of baby back ribs

1-2 cups of BBQ sauce (sweet baby rays is our go to)

salt, pepper, chili powder

Directions: 

Create a rub with equal parts of the salt, pepper and chili powder.  I used about 1/2 tsp of each.  Rub it on the meat. 

Cut ribs into sections of about 2-3.  

Place ribs in a crock pot (I make sure to spray with cooking oil first). 

Add 2 cups of the Dr. Pepper (reserve remaining 1/2 cup)

Cook on low for 7-8 hours.  

Drain the Dr. Pepper leaving ribs still in the crock pot. 

Mix the BBQ sauce with the remaining Dr. Pepper.  

Brush sauce mixture over ribs and cook for another 30-45 minutes.  

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Slow Cooker Cranberry- Orange Pork Roast

I feel like most of my dinner recipes lately are pork recipes.  Like I've said before, I usually make it once a week.  MOst of the time in the crock pot.  It's just so easy and makes enough for dinner and lunch the next day. 

 So yes, I make pork a lot.  

This recipe was in the most recent Kraft foods magazine.  If you don't already subscribe, you should consider it.  It's a quarterly magazine.  Every time I get it, I find tons of new recipes.  They are all simple recipes with not too many ingredients.  My kind of recipes for sure! 

THis meal screamed fall, which is why I made it immediately.  Maybe I thought if I made it, fall will come sooner.  One can dream, right? Anyhow, the only change I made was how I cooked the meat.  I accidentally put my crockpot on high and by the time I realized it, it was two hours into cooking.  I turned it down to low for the remainder of the time (praying it wouldn't be over cooked).  And it was perfect.  Tender enough but not completely falling apart.  The sauce was my favorite part of this dish, sweet and savory.  definitely worth making and will be made here many times this fall. Enjoy! 

Slow Cooker Cranberry- Orange Pork Roast

Adapted from  Kraft Foods 

Ingredients 

2

Tbsp.  oil

1

 flat boneless pork loin roast (4 lb.)

1

can  (14 oz.) whole berry cranberry sauce

1/2

cup  KRAFT Classic CATALINA Dressing

1

Tbsp.  less-sodium soy sauce

1

Tbsp.  cornstarch

1

tsp.  zest and 1/4 cup juice from 1 orange

directions

HEAT oil in large skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat; cook 4 to 5 min. on each side or until browned on both sides. Transfer meat to slow cooker.

MIX cranberry sauce, dressing and soy sauce; pour over meat. Cover with lid.

COOK on HIGH for 2 hours then turn to LOW for another 2-3 hours.  Remove meat from slow cooker, reserving liquid in slow cooker. Cover meat to keep warm. Whisk remaining ingredients in small bowl until blended; stir into liquid in slow cooker. Cook, covered, on HIGH 10 min. or until thickened.

SLICE meat; place on platter. Drizzle lightly with sauce. Serve with remaining sauce
.