Tuesday's Treats ~ Lemon & Lime Poppy Seed Cake

The grocery store down the street sells a lemon coffee cake that I just love. What I don't love it the price tag. The only time I will buy one is if I'm having company over for coffee or it's my turn to bring something to a gathering.

When I saw this recipe in my Taste of Home magazine I couldn't wait to try it.

And now you can too :-)

You'll Need:

1 yellow cake mix
1 package of instant vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup of poppy seeds
4 eggs
1/2 cup of water
1/2 of canola oil
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1/4 cup of lime juice

Glaze
1-3/4 cups of confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
2 tablespoons of lime juice

Step One:
In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then beat on medium for 2 minutes. Pour into a greased and floured 10 inch fluted tube pan.

Step Two:
Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the centre comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step Three
In a small bowl, combine glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~
Just a couple of things to note here. For my own personal preference, I felt like 1/4 cup of poppy seeds was a lot. Next time I think I would put in a little less. My baking time was about 42 minutes, and for the glaze, I only used 1 & 1/4 cups of confectioners (icing) sugar for the consistency I wanted.

I intended to take some of this cake over to my Mama's house, but it didn't quite make it.

Sorry Mama.

I liked this cake. For me, it leans more towards a coffee cake than a regular cake. I'll definitely make this again.

Tuesday's Treats ~ Skor Squares

It feels like forever since I posted about something I baked. October of 2010 in fact! Between working and being exhausted from being pregnant, I had to put my baking hobby on the back burner for awhile.

But I'm baaaccckkkk.... Or rather, easing back into things slowly.

One of my easiest go-to recipes are for Skor Squares. Quick prep time, quick baking time, and everyone loves them. I've made them for baby showers, bible studies, pick-me-ups for people, as an olive branch to my neighbours...

And now you can make them too!

You'll Need:

1 box of Ritz crackers (225 g box)
1 package of Skor Bits
1 can of condensed milk

Preheat your oven to 350.

Crush the entire box of the Ritz crackers and pour into a large bowl. Add the whole package of Skor chips and the can of condensed milk.

Mix until thoroughly blended.

Pour into a greased 9 x 13 inch pan and bake for 20 minutes.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Yes, it really is that easy and there's absolutely no way you can make a mistake. And they are so delicious.

Tuesday's Treats ~ Apple Crumble

One of the things I love the most about Fall is apple picking with my family. We've gone to the same apple orchard for over thirty years.

Usually I never get around to doing anything with the bags of apples that we pick and most of them just rot which annoys Ian to no end.

But not this year! This year I tried my hand at Apple Crumble and fell in love with it.

This dessert is so easy and man oh man, is it ever good!



You'll Need:
8 apples
6 tablespoons of sugar
1 tablespoon of cinnamon
2 teaspoons of butter

Crumble:
4 teaspoons of butter
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1/2 cup of flour
1/2 cup of rolled oats

Peel and slice apples into a greased baking dish. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over apples. Dot with two teaspoons of butter.

Blend the remaining four teaspoons of butter into brown sugar. Mix and add flour and rolled oats. Sprinkle mixture over apples.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.

Serve warm or cold - it's delicious either way!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Banana Bread

I absolutely love the smell of banana bread baking. It gives such a feeling of warmth and comfort in my home.

Unfortunately, it never lasts for very long in my house!

I've used the same recipe all along and it has never failed me.

And today I'm going to share it with you!



You'll Need:
1/2 butter softened
1 cup of white sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas *I always use three bananas
2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon of baking soda

To Make:
Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

You could add nuts if you wish, or even chocolate chips for something different.

I never switch it up, I must admit. My crew likes it straight up, and straight up is how they'll get it.

Happy Tuesday!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Lemon Burst Cake Mix Cookies

Not too long ago I had a piece of lemon cake and I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

Then... I came across Tidymom's blog. She's kind of brilliant, you know. She makes cookies from cake mixes.

The ones that caught my eye were her Lemon Burst Cake Mix cookies.

Lemon cake mix.

I had to try them!

I couldn't believe how easy they were to make.



You'll Need:
1 lemon cake mix
1 8 oz container of Cool Whip
1 egg
1/3 cup if icing sugar for rolling

Step One:
Preheat oven to 350.

Step Two:
In a bowl, beat cool whip, egg and cake mix until well blended. Dough will be thick and sticky.

Step Three:
Roll into one inch balls and coat lightly in icing sugar. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet

Step Four:
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
*I found I had to bake mine between 16-18 minutes

This recipe makes a really lovely cookie. I think I'll have to bake some for my Bible study girls to enjoy with some tea.

Thanks for sharing this great recipe, Tidymom!

Happy Tuesday!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Nutella Cupcakes

I've never been much of a Nutella fan. I know people who love it so much that they think it should be its own food group.

Me? I tried it once on bread and it felt like I was eating a chocolate sandwich. Which I was... but it was grody.

But peer pressure is an awful thing, isn't it? I decided to try baking with it and see what happened.

Well what happened was Kate put her finger in the jar to taste it and there was love and hearts flowing all over the place. I am officially a Nutella Convert.

And today I share with you... the Nutella Cupcake.



You'll Need:
1 vanilla cake mix
1/2 cup of Nutella
3/4 cup of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 tablespoon of milk
1 cup of icing sugar

Step One:
Prepare cake mix and pour into cupcake pans.

Step Two:
Beat butter and Nutella together until combined. Add the remaining ingredients and beat on low speed until the icing sugar is incorporated. Increase speed to medium-high unil frosting is smooth and stable

Step Three
Frost your cupcakes!

Being that I was loving this new treat, I decided to inject some Nutella straight into the cupcake before frosting it. They were divine.

Both Sam and Julie rated this cupcake a solid 10 out of 10.

Solid ten, folks.

But wait....

I love Cool Whip too.... I wondered what would happen if I mixed Cool Whip and Nutella together.

Extreme deliciousness. That's what happened.

Just look for yourself.



This made for a very light frosting which I really liked.

The children still preferred the original.

All the more for Kate.

Happy Tuesday!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Mint Chocolate Cake

My Ian loves mint and chocolate.

Put them together and that man is in heaven.

So... I did :-)

~ Mint Chocolate Cake ~



You'll Need:
1 chocolate cake mix
For Frosting:
1/2 a cup of butter, softened
2 cups of confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon of water
1/2 a teaspoon of peppermint extract
3 drops of green food colouring
For Topping:
1 & 1/2 cups of chocolate chips
6 tablespoons of butter, softened
1/4 teaspoon of peppermint extract

Step One:
Prepare cake batter according to the directions on the box. Pour into a greased (bottom only!) 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 35 minutes.

Step Two:
In a large bowl, combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth. Spread over cake.

Step Three:
For topping, melt the butter and chocolate chips in the microwave. Beat until smooth. Stir in extract. Spread over frosting and refrigerate until set.

I am not a huge minty fan personally, so I didn't know if I would even end up trying this cake.

BUT!

I did, and it's so light and has just the right amount of mint. I really liked it.

Ian's rating: 8/10

Tuesday's Treats ~ Grandma's Homemade Brownies

Sam and Julie had a wonderful time at their grandparents house this weekend. They went swimming and fishing, saw a parade, went to a festival and saw Toy Story 3.

It sure feels good to have them home again, let me tell you. The house feels so empty when they're gone. Jordan missed them a lot too.

My mother-in-law always bakes something with the children when they come to visit for a weekend, which is something they always look forward to. They even packed their aprons :-)

This weekend they made brownies, and we thought it would be a great idea for them to share their creation with you for this week's Tuesday's Treat.

And so, we present to you Grandma's Homemade Brownies!



You'll Need:

1 cup of Crisco oil
4 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cups of flour
2 cups of sugar
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of cocoa
1 tsp of salt
*add 1/2 cup of nuts if desired

Step One:
In a large bowl, beat all wet ingredients together, mixing well. Add dry ingredients.

Step Two:
Spread batter in a greased 9 x 13 pan and bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes.

Step Three:
Once cooled, sprinkle icing sugar over the top using a fine sieve. Cut into squares.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~

These are so good!

You know what makes them so amazing? The fact that my little people made them ;-)

Have a great day!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Ice Cream Sandwiches

I love a homemade fresh chocolate chip cookie.

Slightly warm, please and thank you.

I tried out a new chocolate chip cookie recipe today and fell in love with it. As I munched on one of them I thought "is there anything in the world that would make this cookie taste any better?"

Oh yes.

Ice cream.

My favourite summertime treat is the ice cream sandwich, and so, that's what I decided to make for you today.



You'll Need:
2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour
1 tsp of baking soda
1 tsp of salt
1 cup of butter, softened
3/4 cup of sugar
3/4 cup of packed brown sugar
1 tsp of vanilla
2 large eggs
2 cups of chocolate chips

Toss all ingredients into a large bowl and mix well. Stir in chocolate chips. (I added more than 2 cups because I love an ooey-gooey chocolate chip cookie)

Drop by rounded spoonful onto a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 9-11 minutes

Just before the cookies have almost cooled completely, add a scoop of your favourite ice cream between two cookies and press gently. Roll in sprinkles or eat it as is.

Easy peasy, just the way I like things.

Have a wonderful day!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

You know how a certain food can take you back in time?

Take Cheerios for instance. Whenever I smell them I remember my childhood.

Whenever I taste rhubarb pie, I think of my grandmother who passed away almost 11 years ago, just a few weeks shy of her 100th birthday.

I don't know what season rhubarb comes in, but I wasn't able to find it anywhere and I've longing to try baking a strawberry rhubarb pie.

Then...my mother in law came to visit. I bet you'll never guess what she brought me.

Rhubarb! From her very own garden. She even chopped it up for me. Sweet!

And so... I made my first Strawberry Rhubarb Pie ever.



You'll Need:
3 cups of rhubarb, chopped
3 cups of strawberries, sliced
1-1/3 cups of white sugar
1/4 cup of cornstarch
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 beaten egg, for glaze

Step One:
Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees

Step Two:
In a large bowl, combine the rhubarb, strawberries, white sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice and cinnamon

Step Three:
Let sit uncovered for 20-30 minutes. (I don't know why, but I read it somewhere else and thought I should do it)

Step Four:
Pour into pie crust. (I used a store bought one because I haven't tried making my own crust before)Cover with another pie crust, pressing along the edges to seal. Make four slices in the top of the pie to let the heat escape.

Step Five:
Brush top of pie with the beaten egg. Slide pie onto a baking sheet and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the filling bubbles. Let sit for several hours before serving.

I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, considering it's my first attempt at this. I made the mistake of buying a "flaky" crust and won't be doing that again.

Thanks again for the rhubarb, Mom B!

Tuesday's Treats ~Vanilla Cupcakes With Buttercream Frosting

I love cake. It makes my belly very, very happy.

The thing about cake is that there is just so much of it.

But cupcakes are a perfect size and I can eat one almost guilt free.

The other day I whipped up a batch of cupcakes for a friend of mine who is so encouraging and supportive of me and my baking endeavours. So, I thought she and her family would enjoy these.



You'll Need:
1 vanilla cake mix
1 cup of butter, softened
8 cups of confectioners sugar
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/2 a cup of milk

Step One:
Prepare and bake cupcakes as per the instructions on the box

Step Two:
In a mixing bowl, cream butter. Beat in sugar and vanilla. Add milk until frosting reaches desired consistency

Step Three:
Divide frosting into bowls. Add food colouring to each bowl. Fill decorating bags with coloured frosting. Using a 1M tip, pipe frosting onto cupcake

A super easy way to make pretty and delicious cupcakes!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Takin' The Day Off

Tuesday's Treats ~ Frozen Lemonade Squares

With how hot it's been lately - everywhere, from what I'm hearing! ~ I thought this cool treat would be perfect to share with you this week.

You won't believe how easy this is to make!



You'll need:
9 Honeymaid Low Fat Honey Grahams, finely crushed (approx 1 1/4 cups)
1/3 cup of butter or margarine, melted
4 cups of frozen yogurt, softened
6 oz of frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

Step One:
Mix graham crumbs and butter; press in the bottom of a 9 inch pan

Step Two:
Beat yogurt and lemonade with a mixer until well blended; pour over crust

Step Three:
Freeze until firm (at least 4 hours)

I told you it was easy!

This is a light and refreshing dessert that is perfect for a hot summer day.

Tuesday's Treats ~ Chocolate Malt Cake

Being that Father's Day was this past Sunday, I wanted to make today's treat something that Ian would like specifically. He loves Maltesers so I knew this cake would be perfect.



You'll Need:
1 chocolate boxed cake mix
1/3 cup of chocolate malted milk powder
Water, vegetable oil and eggs as called for on cake mix box
1 cup of whipping cream
1/4 cup of chocolate malted milk powder
1/2 teaspoon of vanilla
1 cup of Maltesers, if desired

Step One:
Heat oven to 350. Spray bottom of 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray.

Step Two:
In a large bowl, stir together cake mix and 1/3 cup of malted milk powder. Beat in water, oil and eggs with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the bowl occasionally. Pour into pan.

Step Three:
Bake for 29-34 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool completely.

Step Four:
In a medium bowl, beat cream, 1/4 cup of malted milk powder and vanilla on medium until stiff peaks form. Spread over cake. Place Maltesers in a resealable freezer bag and crush with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Just before serving, top with crushed Maltesers.

Ian's rating? 8/10.

Score!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Toffee Crunch Blondies

If you are looking for a super easy and quick treat to make, try these Toffee Crunch Blondies!

You'll Need:
1/2 cup of butter, softened
1 cup of brown sugar
2 eggs
2 cups of flour
1 tsp of baking powder
1/2 tsp of baking soda
1/4 tsp of salt
1 package of Skor Toffee Bits
1 cup of chocolate chips

Step One:
Beat butter, brown sugar and eggs until smooth

Step Two:
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix well.

Step Three:
Add 1 cup of chocolate chips and 1 cup of Skor Chips

Step Four:
Spread evenly in a greased 13 x 9 inch pan and bake for 23-28 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining Skor Chips over top. Cut into squares

Perfect for a summer picnic or after school snack :-)

Tuesday's Treats ~ Cake Balls

One of the easiest treats to make in the entire world are Cake Balls.

Some of you may remember that there was a time when I didn't think they were so easy to make! You can read about that fiasco here.

I have yet to have someone try one and not love them.




You'll Need:
1 boxed cake mix (I usually use Devils Food but you can really get creative)
1 container of frosting (I use chocolate)
Chocolate for melting (I use Wilton's meltables. A little pricey but so worth it)

Step One:
Prepare and bake cake according to instructions on the box
Let cool for 30 minutes

Step Two:
Crumble warm cake into a large bowl. Empty contents of the container of frosting. Mix well. You'll have to get your hands in there, so be prepared!

Step Three:
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on cookie sheet. Freeze for 1 hour.

Step Four:
Melt chocolate into a bowl. Dip balls into melted chocolate and turn gently to coat. Place on another waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Once all are coated, place tray in the refrigerator to harden

Step Five:
Pour a glass of milk and enjoy your efforts!

I get a lot of requests for these, and even had a co-worker of Ian's order two dozen from me! Crazy!

There are all sorts of flavour combinations that you could try. I have found that Red Velvet is very popular, although I haven't tried them yet.

Let me know if you tried them, and what flavours you like the best!

Tuesdays Treats ~ Truffle Topped Cupcakes With Caramel Frosting

You'll need:
1 yellow cake mix
1 cup of butter, softened
1 jar (12-1/4 oz) of caramel ice cream topping
3 tablespoons of milk
1-1/2 tablespoons of vanilla extract
6 cups of icing sugar
3/4 cup of chopped hazelnuts
Assorted truffles

Step One:
Prepare and bake cupcakes according to package directions. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely

Step Two:
For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy. Beat in the caramel topping, milk and vanilla until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar; beat until smooth

Step Three:
Pipe frosting onto cupcakes. Top with a truffle
Optional: Press chopped hazelnuts along edges of cupcake

A very sweet treat!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Banana Cream Squares

As soon as I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. I love bananas like you wouldn't believe and this dessert is so simple to make.



You'll need:
1/2 a cup of butter or margarine, cold
1 bag of Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 pkg (8oz) of cream cheese, softened
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tub (8oz) of whipped topping, thawed
1 box of instant banana pudding mix
3 medium ripe bananas, sliced

Step One:
Heat oven to 375. Spray 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray

Step Two:
In a medium bowl, cut butter into cookie mix using a pastry blender or fork, until mixture is crumbly. Reserve 3/4 cup mixture for topping. Mix egg in remaining mixture until incorporated. Press crumbs evenly in bottom of dish. Bake 13 to 15 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges. Cool completely.

Step Three:
In a 15x10x1 inch pan, place the reserved topping crumbs in a thin layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally or until light golden brown. Cool completely. Crumble into small pieces. Set aside.

Step Four:
In a 3-quart mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with a mixer on medium speed, for 1 minute or until smooth. Add sweetened condensed milk. Beat until well blended. Beat in the whipped topping until smooth. Add the pudding mix and continue to beat an additional 2 minutes or until everything is well combined.

Step Five:
Spread 1/3 of the pudding mixture onto cooled base. Arrange bananas in a single layer over the pudding. Top with remaining pudding mixture and refrigerate for 10 minutes or until set. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs over the pudding.

** To serve, cut into 24 squares, 4 rows by 6 rows, and serve individually.

Ian lovingly photographs my weekly treats, and today I was just about jumping out of my skin waiting for him to give the a-ok so I could eat my sample.

Warning!!!

This dessert is sooo good you're going to want to eat a lot of it!

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Lemon Meringue Cupcakes

One of my most favourite people from highschool (hi Brenda!) is a baking whiz. You would not believe the delicious looking things she bakes. When I saw this one on her Facebook page, I knew I had to try it myself.



You'll need...

Lemon Curd:
1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice
3 whole large eggs
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup of sugar
1/2 cup of unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 tsp of lemon zest

Meringue:
3 large egg whites
1/2 tsp of cream of tartar
1/2 cup of sugar

Cupcakes
I do have a recipe to make these from scratch, but I'll be honest with you. I used a cake mix. If you want this part of the recipe let me know and I'll post it. But if you're like me, a boxed mix is sufficient.

To make...

Step One:
For lemon curd, whisk lemon juice, eggs, egg yolk and sugar in a metal bowl until smooth. Add butter and place bowl over a pot of gently simmering water. Whisk gently until curd thickens and leaves a ribbon when whisk is lifted, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and strain. Stir in lemon zest and chill completely before filling.

Step Two:
Mix and bake cupcakes as per the instructions on the box. As I mentioned above, I added 1 tbsp of lemon zest.

Step Three:
For meringue, whip egg whites and cream of tartar until foamy. Add sugar and continue whipping until egg whites hold an upright peak when beaters are lifted.

Step Four:
Remove cupcakes from muffin tin and place on a baking sheet. Carve out a hole in each cupcake with a paring knife. Spoon or pipe 2 tbsp of lemon curd into each cupcake. Spoon dollops of pipe spikes or swirls of meringue over curd. Bake for 4 - 6 minutes until tops of meringue brown

A little time consuming, but oh so worth it!

Don't forget to enter to win a copy of Life, In Spite Of Me!

Tuesday's Treats ~ Peppermint Patties

Do you remember, back in the day, that commercial for York Peppermint Patties? The actors would say something like "When I eat a York Peppermint Patty...I feel the wind blowing through my hair..." ??

Or something like that.

Awhile ago I came across a blog that featured these delightful treats, and for the life of me I can't recall where I saw it. I would love to give credit where credit is due, but in this case I can't.



You'll Need:
1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
1 tablespoon of peppermint extract
6 cups of powdered sugar, plus extra for kneading
1 1/2 lbs of meltable chocolate

Step One:
Mix condensed milk and peppermint extract. Add in 6 cups of powdered sugar. Beat on low until blended.

Step Two:
Turn mixture onto a surface sprinkled with powdered sugar. Knead lightly to form a smooth ball. Shape into 1 inch balls. Flatten.

Step Three:
Let dry for 1 hour. Flip, and dry for another hour. Dip in melted chocolate. Refrigerate to set.

Easy peasy!

**Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a 17.5 lb bag of Iams ProHealth Dog Food!