Homemade Frosting Sandwich

Sweet Recipe Saturday

I love chocolate. Shocker, right? More importantly, I am not willing to compromise on the chocolate flavor in my desserts at all which usually means that the unhealthiest ingredients go into my desserts. I justify that because I eat very healthy all day and exercise everyday, so I can treat myself by indulging in my guilty pleasure to the fullest. 

That being said, there are some ingredients that really can replace some unhealthy ingredients WITHOUT sacrificing the flavor in some of my favorite desserts! I was very apprehensive to give this a shot and was convinced that I was going to be able to taste a difference. Much to my surprise, I could not tell that a common brownie ingredient was replaced by a healthy one- unsweetened applesauce instead of oil! For this sweet treat, I use a boxed brownie mix and a tub of frosting to make a brownie frosting sandwich inspired by the Earl of Sandwich and Ghirardelli's brownie frosting sandwich. Click here to read about that deliciousness!

I figured that if I am going to add even more unhealthy things to make this dessert extra tasty, I may as well substitute a healthy ingredient if it doesn't compromise the taste. I know to not count a brownie as 1 serving of fruit, though, just because it has applesauce in it... If only...

HealthiER Frosting Sandwich

Ingredients
-Boxed brownie mix of your choice (my favorite, thanks to my mom, is Ghirardelli's Double Chocolate!)
-Ingredients on the back of the boxed brownie mix box EXCEPT oil
-Applesauce in the same amount that the box calls for oil
-1 tub chocolate frosting
-Sprinkles

Directions
1. Follow instructions on back of boxed brownie mix replacing the oil with applesauce.
2. Bake in a 9"x12" baking dish according to boxed brownie mix instructions.
3. Cool completely. Cut in half and place one half on a serving platter.
4. Microwave the tub of frosting with the lid off for 20 seconds. Spread half on top of brownie and add sprinkles.
5. Top with other half of brownie. Add remaining frosting and some sprinkles.

*Have fun with this recipe by trying different frosting flavors and different ingredients instead of sprinkles!

The ingredients

Mix egg, water, and applesauce

Add brownie mix

Bake in 9"x12" dish according to box instructions

Cool completely

Cut in half and place one half on platter

Microwave frosting for 20 seconds

Spread half of frosting on brownie half

Add sprinkles

Top with other brownie and add frosting and sprinkles

Add caption

National Toasted Marshmallow Day

Sweet Recipe Saturday

Happy National Toasted Marshmallow Day! There is just something about a campfire that makes me happy. I love camping and the outdoors, and toasting marshmallows for s'mores is something that every camping trip has to incorporate. We recently got a fire pit and have toasted them that way as well which is equally delicious and fun. The only downside of that is not being able to sleep in a tent outside afterwards... What about those days, though, that the weather just isn't right to be able to enjoy the fun of toasting marshmallows? It might be rainy or just too hot. Well, I guess no s'mores with toasted marshmallows for you, right? WRONG! Have you ever toasted marshmallows in a microwave? Watching the marshmallows go from their normal size to poofing out and out and out is so entertaining. They get so big! The fun part about toasting marshmallows at home is that you can get really creative since you have your refrigerator and pantry near by. I decided to switch up the classic s'mores dish a bit in celebration for this year's National Toasted Marshmallow Day. I used chocolate graham crackers and spread some peanut butter on one of the sides, zapped my marshmallows, and BAM! A fun twist on the campfire favorite. Try it out!

Chocolate Peanut Butter S'mores

Ingredients
-4 chocolate graham crackers
-4 tbsp peanut butter
-4 marshmallows

Directions
1. Break graham crackers in half so you have 8 pieces total. On 4 of them, spread 1 tbsp peanut butter each.
2. Place other graham cracker halves on a microwave-safe plate and top with 1 marshmallow each. Microwave for 10 seconds (this time may vary between microwaves, but you want the marshmallows to have poofed out to make them double the size that they were prior to microwaving).
3. Top with peanut butter graham cracker halves.

*The difference with using a microwave as opposed to a campfire is that the marshmallow doesn't have that charred taste, but it is equally sticky, gooey, and yummy!

The ingredients

Spread 1 tbsp peanut butter on 4 of the graham cracker halves

Top other halves with marshmallow

Microwave until they poof up to double their original size

Top with peanut butter graham crackers

Enjoy a fun twist on a campfire classic

Sweet and Refreshing

Sweet Recipe Saturday

Lemonade is the drink of summer. Its sweet yet tart taste provides so much refreshment making it the perfect beverage on a hot day. Remember when you were little and would set up lemonade stands on the sidewalk in front of your house? Even as kids we knew that no one could resist a cup of lemonade on a sunny day, and our cute smiles were going to seal the deal on some extra money for candy. Strawberry lemonade in particular is my favorite. From the color they turn the drink to the extra sweetness they provide, strawberries definitely give lemonade that extra bit of desirability. Sure, there are plenty of powder flavorings that you simply add to water and stir to get a quick and easy lemonade, but there is nothing like the taste of homemade lemonade. You'll be surprised at just how easy it is to make, and although it may take some time to juice all of the lemons, you will know your hard work was worth it after taking the first sip. The texture of the lemony pulp and strawberry particles, the strong smell of tart lemon and sweet strawberry, the beautiful look of the perfectly blended flavors, and the refreshing taste of this classic summer drink will leave you dreaming of sitting poolside in no time.

Summer Strawberry Lemonade

Ingredients
-18 lemons
-3 pints of strawberries
-19 cups water, divided
-3 cups sugar

Directions
1. Slice lemons in half through the middle and juice them using a juicer. Pour juice into a pitcher.
2. Cut tops off of strawberries, place in a blender with 1 cup of water, and puree. Pour into pitcher on top of the lemon juice.
3. Make a simple syrup by combining 3 cups of water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar has complete dissolved. Allow to cool to room temperature before pouring into pitcher on top of strawberry puree.
4. Stir contents until well blended. Fill pitcher with remaining 15 cups of water. Stir contents again.

*Optional step 1- Juggle with lemons prior to slicing. Why? Because it's fun!
*Like a tarter lemonade? Don't add all 15 cups of water at the end!
*Like a milder lemonade? Add more water at the end to taste!
*It is essential that you allow the simple syrup to cool completely prior to adding it to the fruit puree!
*If over 21, add a shot of vodka for a refreshing adult beverage!

The ingredients

Optional step 1- Juggle

Slice lemons down the middle

Juice lemons

Cut tops off of strawberries

Add berries to blender with 1 cup water

Puree

Pour lemon juice and strawberry puree into pitcher

Combine 3 cups water and sugar in saucepan over medium heat

Stir until sugar completely dissolved

Pour simple syrup into pitcher

Stir contents

Serve chilled

Top It Off

Sweet Recipe Saturday

Ice cream is one of my favorite sweet treats. I love the variety that comes with the many different ice cream flavors and assortment of toppings you can decorate your sundae with. One night, I was craving the delicious combination of peanut butter and chocolate, combination being the key word. Sure, I could have put a couple of scoops of peanut butter and a few sprinkles of chocolate chips on my sundae, but the flavor together is really what I wanted to complete my ice cream sundae. I decided to make my own peanut-butter chocolate topping by melting peanut butter and chocolate chips together. The look, smell, and taste of this creation was perfect! Its velvety smoothness In fact, I liked it so much that I am frequently found making this and foregoing the ice cream altogether, enjoying this with a spoon and eating it directly out of the measuring cup.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Topping

Ingredients
-2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
-2 tbsp chocolate chips

Directions
1. Scoop 1 tbsp of peanut butter into a 1 cup measuring cup.
2. Sprinkle 1 tbsp of chocolate chips onto the peanut butter.
3. Repeat steps 1 and 2.
4. Microwave for 1 min total in increments of 20 seconds, stirring in between each set.
5. Pour over ice cream, drizzle over cake, or spoon feed it directly from the measuring cup.

*From semi-sweet to milk to white to dark, you can't go wrong with the type of chocolate chip!
*Switch it up by swapping M&Ms for chocolate chips!
*Try crunchy peanut butter for a different texture!

The ingredients

1 tbsp PB 1 tbsp chocolate

Repeat

Microwave in increments of 20 seconds for 1 min

Smooth peanut butter chocolate topping

Bite Into Butterbeer

Sweet Recipe Saturday

The name "Harry Potter" has become a very familiar household name over the past 10 years. If you haven't read the books, then you've seen the movies. If you haven't seen the movies, you have a friend who has dubbed themself a "Harry Potter nerd". The stories have made all of us "muggles" (non-wizard/witch for those that might not know) wish that we had the powers at the swish of a wand just like Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. Well, those dreams can now come to life as Universal Studios in Orlando, FL has recently opened the 2nd edition of the Harry Potter themed area within its parks. It has definitely been the talk-of-the-town around here as its opening day was official this week. Lines to get into the main attraction have beyond reasonable hours that you would want to wait for an attraction that only lasts a couple of minutes. The verdict, however, is that every minute of that wait is 100% worth it. I, myself, am not a die-hard fan of the Harry Potter series, but I love watching the movies and living vicariously through the characters as they live their spell-casting lives. I am sure we will get over to Universal Studios at some point in the next few months once the lines aren't as long, so to hold us over until then and still make us feel like we are riding the Harry Potter wave that has taken over Orlando, FL, I made some delicious butterbeer flavored cupcakes to take to some friends' party today. For those of you who don't know, butterbeer is a coveted drink from the series that can now be enjoyed at the theme park. Although the process was long, it was so much fun because I pretended as if I was creating a magical dessert as I added each ingredient. (So, maybe that does make me a Harry Potter nerd?) So, if you're like me and haven't been able to live Harry Potter in real life, make a batch of these to put you in the spirit of the Harry Potter craze.

Butterbeer Cupcakes

Ingredients

(Cupcake)
-2 cups flour
-1 1/2 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp baking soda
-1/4 tsp salt
-1 stick softened butter
-1/2 cup light brown sugar
-1/2 cup sugar
-3 eggs
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp butter flavoring (packaged like shortening in the baking aisle)
-1/2 cup buttermilk
-1/2 cup cream soda

(Butterscotch Filling)
-11 oz package butterscotch chips
-1 cup heavy whipping cream

(Frosting)
-1 stick softened butter
-1/3 cup butterscotch filling
-1 tsp vanilla
-1 tsp butter flavoring
-1/8 tsp salt
-8 oz powdered sugar
-1 tbsp milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Prepare muffin tins by placing 1 liner in each hole.
2. To make the cupcakes, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl and set aside.
3. In a mixer with the paddle option, cream butter on medium.
4. Add sugars one at a time and mix until blended.
5. Add eggs and mix until blended. 
6. Add vanilla and butter flavoring and mix until blended.
7. Combine buttermilk and cream soda and mix. Alternately pour flour mixture and liquid mixture into the mixer until on low for 30 seconds, and then medium until blended.
8. Fill cupcake tins about 3/4 full and bake for 20min. Let cool completely.
9. Meanwhile, to make the filling, combine butterscotch chips and heavy cream in a microwavable-safe bowl. Heat for increments of 30 seconds, stirring between each set, until creamy. Let cool completely. Reserve 1/3 cup. for frosting.
10. Using a small spoon, cut out a small hole in the middle of each cupcake and set aside.
11. Fill all the way to the top with the butterscotch filling using a pastry bag or homemade pastry pouch (put contents in a plastic bag and cut a small slit in one of the corners to be able to squeeze the contents out of). Once done, do another round of filling up as each will have had the filling soak into the cake. Replace the top of each cake.
12.To make the frosting, set the mixer with the whisk option, and cream butter on medium. 
13. Add butterscotch filling, vanilla, butter flavoring, and salt and mix until blended.
14. Add powdered sugar on low for 30 seconds, and then medium until creamy.
15. Using a pastry bag or homemade pastry pouch (see step 11), frost each cupcake.
16. Cast your spell on your tasty treat to give it that last bit of love and flavor,and then bite into your butterbeer.

The ingredients- cupcake

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt

Cream butter.

Add sugar and mix

Add brown sugar and mix

Add eggs and mix

Add vanilla and butter flavoring and mix

Combine buttermilk and cream soda

Alternate pouring liquid...

... and flour mixture

Mix until fully combined

Fill cupcake tins 3/4 full and bake for 20min

The ingredients- butterscotch filling

Melt in microwavable bowl...

... until creamy

Allow to cool completely

Use a small spoon to cut out middle of cupcake

Remove top and set aside

Pour butterscotch all the way to the top

Repeat once first pour's contents have been soaked up

Place top back on cupcake

The ingredients- frosting

Cream all ingredients other than powdered sugar and milk

Add powdered sugar

Add milk

Mix until creamy

Frost cupcakes

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