Summer Corn, Avocado, and Black Bean Salad

I've mentioned before how much I love a cold summer salad to snack on during the days.

This one is no exception.  I've been eating this salad off tortilla chips all week!

photo and recipe courtesy of ProduceOnParade

Ingredients

Veggies:
1 3/4 cup thawed frozen or fresh sweet corn
40 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 15 oz. can of black beans, rinsed and drained
2 avocados, diced
1 red onion, finely diced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped (use the stems too!)

Dressing:
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lemon, juiced (or 2 limes)
1-2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Instructions

Prep all the veggie ingredients and add them to a large serving bowl. Toss well to combine.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the dressing ingredients and pour over the veggies. Toss gently to coat evenly and let rest about 10 minutes.

Store in the fridge and serve alone, with chips, or in a pita!

I was totally stoked about this recipe because I could finally use my herbs I've been growing outside.

I've got a pot of basil, cilantro, and mint (for mojitos)

I was able to utilize my cilantro for this salad which made me so happy!

 

Old Fashioned Chocolate Buttermilk Cake

Ashlan was craving a cake so I let her look through my Pinterest board of cakes to see what she might like to bake.  She picked out this buttermilk chocolate cake.  I definitely wasn't surprised she picked a chocolate dessert... She is addicted to chocolate.

photo and recipe courtesy of Flavorite

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 (1-oz.) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
2 cups sifted cake flour (I didn't have cake flour on hand so I used 1 3/4 cup flour mixed with 1/4 c cornstarch)
1 tsp. salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. baking soda
1 Tbsp. vinegar

Chocolate Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 (1-oz) squares unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Half-and-half (although I used milk to thin mine)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour 2 9-inch cake pans.
Line bottom of pan with parchment paper.
In large bowl or standing mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy.
Add sugar and beat until creamy.
Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Stir in melted chocolate.
In separate bowl, combine four and salt.
Add buttermilk and chocolate mixture, alternating.
Stir in vanilla.
In small bowl, dissolve baking soda in vinegar.
Slowly add this to the chocolate mixture.
Mix just until blended.
Do not over-mix.
Pour batter into prepared pans and bake for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Cool in pans 10 minutes then remove from pans.
Transfer to wire racks and cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Frosting
In large mixing bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy.
Slowly add sugar, 1/2 cup at a time, beating well between additions.
Stir in chocolate and vanilla.
If necessary, thin frosting with 1-2 tsps. half-and-half.

Such a delicious cake!  Ashlan nailed it!  

And she can probably frost a cake better than I can! I definitely have a future baker on my hands!

Easy Stuffed Cabbage Casserole

I spotted this recipe on Pinterest and knew it would be a hit with my husband who loves cabbage!

photo and recipe courtesy of WonkyWonderful

Ingredients

1 lb ground turkey
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 White Onion - chopped
1 teaspoon Garlic Powder
1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder
1/4 teaspoon Dried Thyme
1/4 teaspoon Ground Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
14 ounce Can Diced Tomatoes
1/2 Head Small Green Cabbage - chopped
1½ Cups Water
1 Cup Quick Cook Rice or Rice Blend (I used 10 minute cook rice & grain medley)
1 Cup Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese
Chopped Parsley
Salt/Pepper To Taste

Instructions

In large dutch oven over medium high heat (or just a large skillet), brown turkey with olive oil and onions.
Reduce heat to medium; add garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper. Stir.
Add diced tomatoes, water and rice to pot. Bring to a boil.
Add cabbage, cover and reduce heat to medium low. Cook 10 minutes or until rice is tender. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Top with cheese and cover 1-2 minutes to melt.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Optional add ins: bell peppers, celery, carrots.

Very easy recipe.  Very delicious.  Even the girls ate it.

There wasn't any left in the skillet in the end.

 My husband asked me to keep this recipe and definitely make it again.

You bet I will!

Rocky Road Cupcakes

Ashlan recently asked if we could bake more this summer.

How could I ever say no to that?!

She's a child after my own heart...

So the other night I handed her my Pinterest account and told her to pick any sweet treat that I had pinned.  From multiple cakes, to pies, to cookies, to bars, to donuts, etc...

She picked these Rocky Road Cupcakes.

photo and recipe courtesy of SugarandSoul

Ingredients

Cupcakes:
1 Box Duncan Hines Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake Mix
3.9 oz. Package Jell-O Instant Chocolate Fudge Pudding Mix
4 Eggs
1 cup Sour Cream
3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 cup Milk
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
1 cup Chopped Walnuts

Frosting:
2 cups Heavy Cream
1/2 cup Confectioners' Sugar
1/3 cup Instant Chocolate Pudding Mix

Filling:
1 1/2 cups Marshmallow Fluff
Topping:
Chopping Walnuts
Mini Marshmallows
Sprinkles

Instructions

Cupcakes:
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Line cupcake pan.
Combine cupcake ingredients in mixing bowl and beat until well combined, making sure to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add about 2 tbsp of batter to liners so they're about 3/4 full.
Reduce oven to 350 F.
Bake cupcakes for about 18-20 minutes until toothpick comes clean.
Let set in pan for a couple of minutes before transferring to oven rack to finish cooling.
Core cupcakes and pipe in fluff until each is full.

Frosting:
Combine heavy cream, confectioners' sugar, and pudding mix in mixing bowl and beat until stiff peaks form.
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes and sprinkle with sprinkles, chopped walnuts, and mini marshmallows.

I'm glad she picked this recipe.  

They were fun to make and of course I LOVE Rocky Road!

I may leave the baking up to Ashlan this summer.  Can't wait to see what she picks out next!

Toothbrush and Tooth Cookies

Bear with me, as the next few posts are all about cut out cookies.

I keep my 'baking' pictures on my phone but I want to have them here as well.

Trying to get organized, I guess.

A few weeks ago I was at our local bakery store and noticed they had a toothbrush and tooth cutter.

I knew I had a dental appointment the following week, PLUS my dentist had just moved into her new office..  So I immediately thought toothbrush and tooth cookies would be the perfect 

"Welcome To Your New Office" gift.

They turned out so cute and were a huge hit!

Graduation Cap Cookies

What a fun graduation season this was!  

We knew so many seniors graduating...and two were in our family!   

 Both of my nieces graduated from high school!

Congratulations to:

Mackenzie Morgan - Summa Cum Laude from Gulf Coast High School

Bryn Morgan - Magna Cum Laude from Musselman High School

Kate had dozens of friends graduating, too!

There were lots of graduation parties to attend and one of our friends asked me to make glitter gold and white graduation caps for her graduation party!  96 of them!

These were so fun to make!

Congratulations to Mackenzie and Bryn, and all our friends who graduated 2016!

Wishing you a safe, fun, and amazing journey in this next chapter of yours!

Baby Shower Cookies

Kate's dance team recently hosted a baby shower for their assistant dance director.  I was asked to make some cookies for the shower.  The baby is due in August, and the sex will be a surprise..  So instead of neutral color cookies, I opted to make half pink and half blue.

I'm on Team Pink, by the way..  I just know it's a girl!

Bottles, carriages, pacifiers, and rattles.

My dogs - Cookies

When it's a rainy day outside and you decide to pull out your Golden Retriever, Schnauzer, and dog bone cookie cutters....

I present to you..

Bogart and Bismark..

In cookie form.

Tator Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole

Before school ended Kate's dance team hosted a Senior Breakfast for all the dancers that were graduating.  The parents brought in the food which consisted of casseroles, donuts, muffins, fruit, etc..  I signed up to bring a casserole and opted to try this one below...because it was made using tator tots and I know teenagers like tator tots (well, mine does)

photo and recipe courtesy of PlainChicken

Tater Tot Sausage Breakfast Casserole
serves 10

2 lb hot breakfast sausage
1 (30-32oz) bag frozen tater tots
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
8 eggs
2 cups milk


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain fat.

In a large bowl, toss together tater tots, cooked sausage and cheeses. Pour into a lightly greased 9x13-inch pan.

Whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and milk. Pour over tater tot mixture.

**Cover and refrigerate at this point if baking later.**

Bake for 35-40 minutes.

I was not able to taste this casserole for myself, but Kate said it was amazing and completely gone...every last bite.  So I figured it was worth posting about.  This casserole is definitely on my list of recipes to make for the family soon!