Pina Colada Cupcakes

Hey Everyone!! First of all, I have to apologize about my photography. I just wasn't feeling it yesterday, and to me, it shows. Not to mention I was kind of in a hurry trying to get everything ready. I think I told you all a while back, but in 6 days I will be headed on a cruise to the Caribbean!! Yay! Honestly, it still doesn't feel real, but, there is still all of the house work and such that I have to get on top of in order to actually leave. But I thought to celebrate my trip we could do something with kind of a beach themed. And since a Virgin Pina Colada is my favorite drink to sip on while at the beach, this only feels befitting :) And I love these cupcakes. I mean, it had me at Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting. Really!? Anything with coconut and cream cheese together has got to be amazingness. Then you stick it all on top of a pineapple cake. Sign me up!!

Ugh, but now I gotta get back to the thousands of things that await me on my to do list. It will all be worth it when I'm swimming with dolphins and lying on the beach. Just gotta keep telling myself that. Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Pineapple Cupcakes
     2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
     1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
     1/2 teaspoon baking soda
     1/2 teaspoon salt
     3 eggs
     1 3/4 cups sugar
     1 cup vegetable oil
     1 teaspoon vanilla extract
     3/4 cup sour cream
     1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes).

On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended.

Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated.

Like so.

Add the flour mixture.

Blend until just combined and smooth.

Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners.

Fill liners about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for about 22 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Frosting with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).

Recipe yields 24-28 cupcakes

Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
     1/2 cup (1 stick/8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature
     8 oz. crea, cheese, at room temperature
     1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
     1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
     4 cups powdered confectioners sugar
     1 tablespoon heavy cream
       -or-
     1 tablespoon Dark Rum

Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy. Slowly add the heavy cream or run. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

(Optional) To finish off cupcakes top with toasted coconut, fresh pineapple, maraschino cherries, or a paper umbrella.

Printable Recipe

Recipe from www.glorioustreats.blogspot.com.

Pina colada cupcakes

Pineapple Cupcakes

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 eggs

1 3/4 cups sugar

1 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups canned crushed pineapple (drained slightly)

Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and a light cream color (about 2 minutes). On low speed, mix in the oil and vanilla until blended. Add in the pineapple and sour cream and mix until fully incorporated. Add the flour mixture and blend until just combined and smooth.

Line a cupcake pan with 12 paper liners and fill about 2/3 full. Bake cupcakes in a pre-heated 350 degree F oven for about 22 minutes. Remove from pan and cool on wire rack. Frosting with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe below).


Recipe yields 24-28 cupcakes


Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick/8 tablespoons) butter, at room temperature

8 oz. crea, cheese, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract

4 cups powdered confectioners sugar

1 tablespoon heavy cream

-or-

1 tablespoon Dark Rum

Place butter in a large mixing bowl and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and blend until well combined, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla extract, coconut extract and powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) and blend on low speed until combined. Increase to medium speed and beat until it begins to get fluffy. Slowly add the heavy cream or run. Beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Use at once or keep refrigerated. (This frosting will keep well in the refrigerator for several days, but you may need to re-beat it for the best texture.)

(Optional) To finish off cupcakes top with toasted coconut, fresh pineapple, maraschino cherries, or a paper umbrella.

Cinnamon and Sugar Pull-Apart Bread

I feel like through life we are always finding new things out about ourselves. Like for instance, as a kid I loved clam chowder. Now, I've come to realize that I really don't care for it all that much, and that the only reason I was so crazy about it as a kid is that I thought it was fun to bite into the pieces of clam and have it feel and sound like you were biting into a balloon. I know... I was kind of a weird child, but weren't we all ;)

Anyways, through this blogging experience I have found that I love taking picture, but not just any picture. I really hate lugging around a camera just to have everyone pose awkwardly for some random photo somewhere. My sister Ashli is the photo opportunity enthusiast, so she takes care of that for me. But, I love to take pictures of movement. Why am I telling you this, you may ask, cause I went just a tad bit overboard. You have been warned!! But I loved all my pouring photos so much that I couldn't throw them out. This is after all a food blog, and adding ingredients is a big part of the baking/cooking process. Right!?

So I have an excuse for my addictive impulse to always shoot ingredients while I am pouring them, and I completely release full responsibility for my actions to my little split personality french photographer... who exists in my brain. I have lovingly called him Jacque. How a split personality of myself can be male I have no clue, and I also have no idea if Jacque is even a french name, but there you go.

Where was I going with all this?? Oh, yeah. Ok so that is my extremely long disclosure about the many pouring pictures in this post. Moving on from my random thoughts to something actually related to this recipe which is so scrumptious. This bread is awesome! The outside is crisp and grainy from the melted sugar, and the inside is sticky and moist like the inside of a cinnamon roll. This totally satisfied my cinnamon sugar craving and was so easy to make. Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Cinnamon and Sugar Pull-Apart Bread
Dough
2 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
1/2 tsp. salt
4 Tbsp. butter
1/3 cup whole milk
1/4 cup water
2 eggs (at room temperature)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Filling
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
4 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour.

Sugar.

Yeast and salt.

Set this flour mixture aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk.

Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water...

and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter.

Keep mixing. Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it's perfect. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl.

Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover the dough again for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, start on the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the melted butter on the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered.

Using a shape knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into equal sized strips (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide). Then cut the strips into equal sized squares.

Stack the squares on top of each other to make 3 to 4 piles. Don't make stacks to high or your will be cussing when you try to place them into the pan. Also, your bread will come out prettier if you don't stack the squares perfectly aligned.

Place squares in the greased bread pan.

Take any sugar that fell off squares and sprinkle over the top and around the sides of dough. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.

While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet under bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until outside of bread is golden brown.

Printable Recipe

Recipe from www.iheartfoodandsocanyou.blogspot.com.

Cinnamon and sugar pull-apart bread

Dough

2 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)

1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tbsp. butter

1/3 cup whole milk

1/4 cup water

2 eggs (at room temperature)

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Filling

1 cup sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Set aside.

In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk. Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes.

Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter. Keep mixing. Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it's perfect. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl. Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover the dough again for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, start on the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the melted butter on the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered. Using a shape knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into equal sized strips (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide). Then cut the strips into equal sized squares. Stack the squares on top of each other to make 3 to 4 piles and place them in a bread pan. Take any sugar that fell off squares and sprinkle over the top and around the sides of dough. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.

While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet under bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until outside of bread is golden brown.

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Hey Everyone! Happy Monday!! Feeling back to normal. Which is great for me. Woke up this morning wondering what I would get to make today... I'm thinking either Blue Berry Muffins, or Cinnamon Sugar Pull Apart Bread. The cinnamon sugar mix has got my attention as of right now, but we'll see.

Also, I wanted to formally thank everyone for all the encouragement!! You guys all rock! But just so everyone knows, I'm gonna keep my commenting status as is. If you wanna comment anonymously, that's fine, but just know that I monitor all of the comment made on my site, and if I don't like what's being said, I reserve the right to delete it. But hopefully that won't be a problem.

K, moving on. So, normally I don't really care for cake mix cookies. I feel like they are too airy, and I like my cookies on the denser side. But these cookies are pretty bomb! The cookie portion is super moist and it melts in your mouth. Then you get the liquid chocolate in the center with the chewy warm caramel. Oh, so good!! And seriously, so easy and quick. No measuring out dry ingredients, and all together all you need is the 4 ingredients. Well, plus the powdered sugar to make them pretty. But really, the easiest cookies to make ever. Enjoy!!

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Rolo Cookies
     2 pkg. Rolo candies
     1 box Devils Food Cake mix
     2 eggs
     1/3 cup vegetable oil
     Powdered sugar, for dusting

In a mixing bowl add cake mix.

Oil.

And eggs.

Mix until well incorporated.

Unwrap Rolos.

Take a small amount of cake mixture and make into a flat circular shape. Place Rolo into the center and form dough around the candy. Only use enough dough to cover the Rolo so it can spread through the cookies, about 1 1/2 tablespoons.

Place cookies on either a lined or greased cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 7-8 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and let cool for a couple minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. Yield: 16 cookies.

Printable Recipe

Recipe altered from www.sixsistersstuff.com.

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

Chocolate Rolo Cookies

2 pkg. Rolo candies

1 box Devils Food Cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetale oil

In a mixing bowl add cake mix, oil, and eggs. Mix until well incorporated. Take a small amount of cake mixture and make into a flat circular shape. Place Rolo into the center and form dough around the candy. Only use enough dough to cover the Rolo so it can spread through the cookies, about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Place cookies on either a lined or greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees F for 7-8 minutes. Place on a cooling rack and let cool for a couple minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving. 

Yields: 16 cookies

Orange Rolls

Hey Everyone!! K, so if you read my last post, I've been in a weird funk of not wanting to post or cook lately. Which is totally not like me, so I've been trying to figure out what the problem is. Well, after getting a couple more comments on posts, I've figured it out. (Warning: I'm gonna be venting. So if this bugs and you just want to read about the recipe, jump down to the last paragraph before the ingredient list.) So, here is my problem... I started this blog for fun, cause I love to cook, and I wanted to keep basically like an ongoing journal of my progress and recipes I've made. Well, then I started getting follower, which was cool and fun, cause I never thought people would want to read what it was I had to say.


In the beginning, I always got positive feedback, BUT lately with the more followers I get, I've been starting to get some really rude comments. Part of this problem is, I just need to be thicker skinned, cause I really do take things very personal... but guys come on. You know who you are. Comments like this are not appreciated, "(link to dictionary) It's VOILA. Not wallah. Using words like that makes you sound like a 12 year old."


K, I'm just going to add this disclaimer. I'm not an English major. Nor did I like English as a subject much, so I do the best with what I got. If this bothers you, sorry. This is just me, and no one is making you read my posts. Don't get me wrong, I love having the followers. And I appreciate all of the support so much cause I really love meeting you all and hearing from you, but as of right now, I have my blog where anyone can comment. Both anonymous or with your e-mail address. Cause, I really don't want to discourage people from commenting. I love hearing from most of you with your questions and feedback on the recipes. But if people don't stop using the anonymity as a mask to be completely uncalled for, I'll be changing that.


And all I'm gonna say is, Everyone please be courteous. I am a person. I have feelings, and it's my blog. I don't need a thousand people telling me how they think I should run things. Really, it's sucking all the fun out of it for me. I have tried to lay out everything so that it is as convenient to everyone as possible, but it's still just a blog I have thrown together, and I am a complete computer idiot. So cut me some slack, please.


Now that I feel like I have unintentionally scolded somebody :/ lets move on to funner, happier things. Like these rolls!! Yumminess! Love these. I've been in a bread baking mood, and I love oranges. So when I saw this recipe in my Cooking Light cookbook, it was calling my name. Oh my heck!! So addicting (you have been warned). I had 3 all by myself. Ok, fine! It was more like 5 or 6, but who's counting (ahem). Anyways, they are amazing. Enjoy :)


P.S. I have no clue why this post is so spaced out? So sorry if this bugs. I can't figure out how to fix it.


Printable Recipe


Orange Rolls
Dough
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
1 cup sugar, divided
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
15.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups), divided
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons grated orange rind


Glaze
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

To Prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons softened butter, salt, egg, and yeast mixture.

Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth.

Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 9 ounces flour (about 2 cups to yeast mixture.

Beat until smooth.

Add 4.5 ounces flour (about 1 cup) to yeast mixture. Stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface.

Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees F), free from drafts, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), roll each portion or dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Brush surface of each circle with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and rind. Sprinkle half of sugar mixture over each circle.

Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge tightly, beginning at wide end.

Place rolls, point sides down, in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Uncover dough. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

While rolls bake, prepare glaze. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and orange juice in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly.

Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls; let stand 20 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 dozen.


Recipe from Cooking Light Comfort Food.


Printable Recipe

Orange Rolls

Dough
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)

1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)

1 cup sugar, divided

1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

1 large egg, lightly beaten

15.75 ounces all-purpose flour (about 3 1/2 cups), divided

Cooking spray

2 tablespoons butter, melted

2 tablespoons grated orange rind

Glaze
3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream

To Prepare dough, dissolve yeast in warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl add 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, 2 tablespoons softened butter, salt, egg, and yeast mixture. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Add 9 ounces flour (about 2 cups to yeast mixture; beat until smooth. Add 4.5 ounces flour (about 1 cup) to yeast mixture, stirring until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes); add enough of remaining flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel sticky).

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees F), free from drafts, 1 hour and 15 minutes or until doubled in size. (Gently press two fingers into dough. If indentation remains, dough has risen enough.)

Punch dough down; cover and let rest 5 minutes. Divide dough in half. Working with 1 portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent drying), roll each portion or dough into a 12-inch circle on a floured surface. Brush surface of each circle with 1 tablespoon melted butter. Combine 3/4 cup sugar and rind. Sprinkle half of sugar mixture over each circle. Cut each circle into 12 wedges. Roll up each wedge tightly, beginning at wide end. Place rolls, point sides down, in a 13 x 9-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise 25 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Uncover dough. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

While rolls bake, prepare glaze. Combine 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter, and orange juice in a small saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 3 minutes or until sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream. Drizzle glaze over warm rolls; let stand 20 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 dozen.