Easy Coffee Cake (with Greek Yogurt and Cranberries)

My little blue-eyed one is munching on my new favorite cranberry coffee cake creation.

I scheduled a couple of morning play dates last week and I wanted to come bearing coffee cake. Some concoction of banana bread or muffins (laced with flax seed and whole wheat everything) are my morning stand-bys for taking along. But, this time I decided to shy away from uber amounts of fiber and make something a tad richer.

Still, I wanted to use greek yogurt and well, I just can't put away my flax seed. I searched online for a recipe using sour cream and Bisquick. Sooo not my usual keywords, but I had easy and delicious on my mind. I  read over a few recipes and adapted from there. I swapped in greek yogurt, cut back on sugar, and added some extras.

The end result was pretty darn good. Definitely worth sharing (it's fast and easy) and a recipe I want to archive for my own sake!

Here it is uncooked...

Here's what I did...

preheat: 325
grease 9x13 pan

Combine the following to make the cake:
2 cups Bisquick
3/4 cup sugar
flax seed (however much you like)
1/2 cup butter
2 eggs
1 cup yogurt (I used Greek)

Mix on medium speed until batter becomes fluffy

Combine (in a separate bowl) the following to make the topping/filling:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon (or more) cinnamon
nutmeg to taste (if you like)
1 cup cranberries (pre-soaked and strained -- to soften)
chopped nuts or dark chocolate (if you like)

Now...prepare in pan:
spread half of cake batter in the bottom of the pan
spread half of topping/filling over batter in pan
spread rest of the batter over the topping/filling
use rest of topping/filling as final layer
use a knife to marbelize by creating a zig-zag pattern in the pan

Bake for approximately 45 minutes (I'm sure ovens vary). A toothpick should come out clean when done. Cake will appear golden. 

While great for breakfast, I preferred it later in the evening as dessert...warmed with cool whip on top!

Blakely was happy to share hugs and some scrumptious coffee cake with these little ones!

The baby sisters got in on the fun, too... well, their idea of fun anyway. :)

Enjoy!

24 Hour Layered Salad

Hello to you!

My big one is snoozin' right now and my little one is giving me smiles and coos. I think we may be past the "gas" smiles and onto real ones. In any case, I love it. I kind of wondered if all the little baby things would be as magical the second time around. And...yup..they sure are!

Okay! I thought I'd share a recipe today. Every now and again, I like to post my best handed down family recipes. It's nice to have them archived and I like to share. :)

I doubt there's anything too original about this 24 hour layered salad. I'm sure there are a bazillion recipes out there for this, but I use what my mom gave me and it's pretty darn good! I made it yesterday for a Fourth of July BBQ.

It's easy. The only trick is planning in advance so the ingredients are ready to assemble the night before.

Here's whatcha need:

• 1 head iceberg lettuce
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 green pepper
• 2 green onions
• 1 package (10 oz) frozen peas
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 package Parmesan cheese
• 3 hard boiled eggs
• 2 tomatoes
• 1/2 lb bacon

The night before:

Layer all the green ingredients in a deep (preferably glass) bowl. I bought a $6 trifle bowl at Walmart. :)

It doesn't matter how you do the layers, but I basically layered them in the order listed above (iceberg lettuce, celery, green pepper, green onion, frozen peas).

Next, mix the mayo and sugar in a dish. Then, spread the mayo mixture over the top of the layers. This seals it.

Now, add the cheese atop the mayo. Cover. Place in fridge overnight.

Before you clean up, prep the toppings so they are ready to go. Hard boil the eggs and chop when cool. Dice the tomatoes. Cook the bacon and crumble when cool. Keep these on the side.

Before serving, place the eggs, tomatoes, and bacon on top!

The salad will look pretty all layered, but according to my mama, it's best to toss it all up before serving. This way everyone gets all the goods!

My mom's trick: toss in a separate bigger bowl and then transfer back to pretty trifle bowl!

Serve cold! Enjoy!

Happy Fourth of July from my ohana to yours!

Must Try: BBQ-ed Brie and Qwirkle

We were lucky to have Tim's parents here for 10 days! But, what I'm about to share with you I'm both proud of and ashamed of. ;) hehe..

In those ten days, we ate three rounds of brie cheese (you know, the Costco size). We shared some with others, but I'm pretty sure I ate double my fair share each time!

While I'm a sucker for good cheese cold or warm, I'd never had my cheese BBQ-ed until recently. Now, I can't get enough. Here...let me share!

 Take the whole round--rind and all--and pop it in some foil on the grill.

 Once the top starts to puff up--maybe 10-15 minutes or so--remove from heat and cut open.

 Enjoy immediately! Anything works for dipping in, but my favorite is a baguette or garlic bread!

Cheers!

And one more discovery to share...

My lovely in-laws gave Tim and I a new game for Christmas! Oh, how I love to play games.

Qwirkle.

Have you heard of it? Played it? It's like dominoes (although, truth be told..I've never played dominoes beyond stacking them up and pushing one down). This game uses colors and shapes rather than numbers.

 Tim was our score keeper!

 Here's the game...played out.

I only document the score sheet when I actually win the game! I can't brag too much, it's possibly just beginner's luck. ;)

If you get the chance, try it out!

Aloha! Happy almost weekend to you.

When I Was 8 {and Russian Teacakes}

The house smelled like chocolate and cinnamon. I hurriedly flung the front door open and slid around the corner and shrugged off my Jansport.

Mom, we're home! I cried out excitedly.

Before she could leave the kitchen for a home-from-school kiss, I had already folded my lanky body into the corner between the boxy speaker and the record player.

I lifted the needle and replaced the current record with Amy Grant's Tender Tennessee Christmas. I started with song #4. The intro to Emmanuel made my entire 8-year-old body feel like Christmas all over!

Never mind that it was just three in the afternoon. Our Sunnyvale house was a Christmas wonderland! The tree was lit up, cookies were fresh, Amy Grant cooed, and hot cocoa was on its way. Christmas couldn't have been more magical.

Now that I'm 30 (that came fast), have my own home, my own lit up tree in broad daylight, and my own little girl, Christmas seems just as magical. Probably because Amy Grant's Tender Tennessee Christmas is still at the top of the play list. ;) And, amidst the hectic-ness of the season, I still make time to bake rich and aromatic cookies for anyone who comes this way!

I baked another round of my favorite Candy Cane Russian Teacakes yesterday. This time I snapped a few pics and thought I'd share the love cyber-ly. Since I can't offer you all a cookie, here's a very simple recipe! So simple and common, I'm almost embarrassed to share it! ;) Just five ingredients. Try it out, play some Amy, and enjoy your moment!

Candy Cane Russian Teacakes

1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons powdered sugar
2 cups flour
1 cup crushed candy canes (or chopped walnuts)
1/3 cup (or more) reserve powdered sugar for coating

Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.

Here's the run-down!

1. Preheat oven to 350

2. Crush your candy canes (I suggest using a rolling pin, but use it more like a hammer and less like its intended use.)

3. Cream butter and vanilla till smooth
--it helps to let the butter soften, but I usually forget to do that. --recipe works fine with margarine too.

It may seem a bit lumpy, but since I'm not a perfectionist I just move on to the next step and the bumps and lumps work themselves out! ;)

4. Combine sugar and flour and blend into mix
--I just dump it in and let my Kitchen Aid do the work on a low speed.

This part takes a few minutes and I eventually help the flour residue on the sides and bottom to mix with the rest.

5. Mix in crushed candy canes (or chopped walnuts) 
--again, the mixer does it for me. This recipe is also good with macadamia nuts!

6. Shape into 1 inch balls
--I grease my cookie trays and prep my extra dough. In the picture below, the uncooked balls are on the plate and the cooked ones are on the sheet.

7. Bake for 12 minutes at 350
--I use two cookie sheets and set my timer for 6 minutes. Then I swap the trays in the oven (from top to bottom) and cook the remaining 6 minutes. If my balls are on the big side, I may add a minute, but don't bake too long. They'll look a little "uncooked" -- and that's okay!

8. When cool, roll in reserve powdered sugar

Now! Enjoy! It's super easy to double, triple, etc... this recipe! It makes for easy home baked gifts for neighbors and friends!

p.s. I'd be remiss if I didn't say that the real reason Christmas remains so magical for me is because of the very real celebration that Jesus Christ was born as a human baby and died on the cross 30 years later to give us everlasting life! Of course, Amy Grant does add to the magic, too!

Mele Kalikimaka! I'll trade you some sun for some clouds today! xoxo

Pretzel Jello Link and Cousins

Aloha!

I've been MIA! My ohana and I had a lovely Hawaiian Thanksgiving. While we greatly missed the rest of our family on the mainland, we did have Andy, Alicia, and baby Sawyer with us (and we still have them!!!).

I hope you are so full of leftover turkey sandwiches and your favorite Thanksgiving dishes! I know I am. The pretzels in my pretzel jello are finally getting soggy, but the salty sweet leftovers still melt in my mouth.

I actually think I like the leftover turkey on my turkey sandwich a few days later better than I do on Thanksgiving day! What about you?

Okay! I only have a handful of minutes!

Alicia snapped this cousin love from the front seat -- well, they're finding their vibe anyway!

Also, click here for a blog post from my dear friend and owner of Pemberly Bake Shoppe, Holly! She keeps up an amazing cooking blog with life stories! She blogged about pretzel jello today! I'm so honored! Enjoy! Her blog posts are always worth the read and her recipes are inspiring and delicious!

LOVE!!!!

Had to Share: Easter Egg Cupcake Pops

So, I realize these are "all the rage" right now. I sorta wish they weren't because I never like embracing something too uber trendy, but, alas, I did!

My mom made the most adorable round cupcake pops for Blakely's luau last month. I took the recipe from her verbally and tried my rendition for Easter.

Here's how I did it. They are so easy and fun!

1. Bake a cake, crumble the baked cake in a bowl, add half a can of frosting, mix it up into one crumbly glob!

2. Shape 1 inch balls into well, whatever! Mine are egg shaped! Then pop in the fridge for several hours (probably overnight works best).

3. Pull out chilled shapes and pop sucker sticks into them, prepare a box or find Styrofoam as a holding cell, melt chocolate in a glass.

 4. Quickly dip cold shapes into chocolate and decorate, then place in box to harden. If you live in Hawaii and your inside house temp is anything like mine, try placing immediately in the fridge to encourage the hardening of the shells.

5. Package, share, and enjoy!

Tips:

• Try to find Styrofoam for best results. If you cannot, try using a sturdy cardboard box. The Wheat Thins box that I used on my first try was too flimsy.
• Make your shapes large enough so that they won't fall apart when you dip them.
• Use Wilton's chocolate or a similar brand made for hardening quickly (candy making).
• Check Walmart's wedding supplies aisle or a craft store for the chocolate, sucker sticks, and clear bags for wrapping.
• Use a tall glass for melting chocolate (rather than a bowl).

Happy Good Friday! I'm glad we know that this day in History was indeed good! We have much to celebrate!

Hawaii for Cheap(er): Grow some bananas--make some bread!

Aloha!

I thought I'd start a blog segment about saving money--basically cooking and playing for less. This is crucial for my family cause many costs get hiked for islanders. However, I think most my tips can be helpful anywhere. In fact, most of my ideas are from my lovely mother who raised her 4 children on one pastor's income.

One of my favorite, or not-so-favorite, memories of growing up was drinking chunky milk! Gross, right? Well, it's not as gross as it sounds! It wasn't chunky cause it was spoiled, it was just previously frozen. With two growing brothers, my mom could barely keep our milk stocked. She would buy it from the dairy farm in bulk and then freeze full gallons in the deep freezer.

I'd often pour it over cereal only hear the *glunk, *glunk, *glunk, sound as ice chips fell onto my raisin bran. While at the time I figured I'd never freeze my own milk...it was so weird (no offense, mom)....I was wrong! My, how one's perspective can change when she pays all her own bills ;). I now think freezing milk or anything else possible is brilliant!

Okay--so I just made some awesome (healthy) banana bread with the bananas we grow in the front yard. Now, I realize that not every climate is ideal for growing bananas, but if you live in Hawaii and have a smidgen of a yard, I suggest it! They grow quickly and easily here! Getting started with a banana tree is cheap and then the production is free!

The only problem is that when you cut down the ripe bananas...they are all ready at once! Be prepared to share, bake, and freeze!

Let me share some pics and then my new fave recipe. Happy baking (and maybe growing) to you!

The trees grow quite tall and it's important to cut down the whole tree that produces the stalk of bananas.

We usually have two banana trees growing at any given time.

The trees grow new shoots so the banana tree life cycle continues pretty effortlessly.

This is maybe half of what one tree yielded a couple of weeks ago. Did I mention that they are apple bananas? Yum!

Okay--the good stuff--banana bread! I added flax seed and dark chocolate to the recipe!

Just before I baked the bread. I just put it in a 9x13 since I don't have a very big bread pan.



Whole Wheat Oatmeal Banana Bread (with added flax seed and dark chocolate)

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/8 cup butter
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt (I used Greek)
• 3 mashed bananas (or like 10+ mashed apple bananas)
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla (I'm liberal with vanilla)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1/4 cup pecans (I left this out since chopped nuts are hard for B. I added 1/4 cup flax or more and 1/2 of a crushed dark chocolate bar).

Preheat over to 350
Cream butter and sugar
Add eggs--beat
Add yogurt, bananas, and vanilla--beat
Add flour, salt, and baking soda--stir
Add oats, pecans, flax, chocolate, anything else! ha! -- stir
Bake--1 hour (check at 45 min if baking in 9x13).

Consider this:

• Double or triple the recipe.
• Save out what you'll eat soon.
• Share some with neighbors.
• Package up some loafs and pop in freezer. Enjoy later!

(I like to serve warm with ice cream for dessert!)