This is take two of those yummy banana pudding cupcakes. I just made a few dozen for a friend and she requested that I use buttercream frosting instead. It turned out great and I’ll never make them another way! It’s light and fluffy and the banana flavor isn’t too strong, but complements the rest of the cupcake perfectly. And of course I started dreaming of the other ways I can use it next, like paired with a chocolate cupcake or maybe a banana split cupcake!

Banana Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp banana extract
6 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
3 Tbsp milk

Yield: Plenty to frost 2 dozen cupcakes

Directions:
Cream the shortening and butter with an electric mixer until fully combined. Add the vanilla and banana extract and mix together. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time. Mix at medium speed until combined and scrape the sides of the bowl along the way. Add the milk and continue to mix at medium speed until fluffy. Use immediately or keep refrigerated in an air tight container up to two weeks, re-whipping before using.

Source: A Beckster Original

Tortilla soup has always been a favorite to eat, but I’d never made it myself! Leading up to Cinco de Mayo, I tried out a few new Tex Mex recipes, including this one for spicy chicken tortilla soup. It was love at first bite – very easy to toss together, super colorful, somewhat healthy, and has amazing flavor with all of the peppers and spices.

I slightly adapted the original recipe, excluding hominy and adding some corn and crispy tortilla strips. Side note: to make crispy tortilla strips to top your soup, simply slice a few corn tortillas into strips, put them on a lined baking sheet, and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. Super simple and adds a nice texture when you dig in.

Enjoy!

Spicy Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
2 cups chicken, shredded or chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, diced (with or without seeds)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 poblano pepper, roasted and diced
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp salt
8 cups chicken broth (2 quarts)
1 4-oz can diced green chilies
1 15-oz cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 bag frozen corn
1 14-oz can fire roasted diced tomatoes
4 corn tortillas, cut into strips (plus more if making crispy strips)
Juice of 2 limes
Shredded monterey jack cheese, optional for serving
Chopped cilantro, optional for serving
Sour cream, optional for serving

Yield: Serves 6-8

Directions:
First, roast the poblano pepper over a burner on a gas range stove or under the broiler. You want the pepper to be very dark and charred— almost black. Set aside on a plate to cool then dice. (you can either leave or remove the seeds)

Heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large pot. Once hot, add the diced onion and jalapeno and cook for five minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and diced poblano pepper and cook for another minute. Add the chili powder, cumin, and coriander and mix until well combined.

Pour in the chicken stock and add the tomatoes, corn, black beans, green chilies, chicken, and salt. Bring to a boil.

Finally, add the regular tortilla strips and lime juice and cook until tortillas soften. Serve with chopped cilantro and shredded cheese, plus crispy tortilla strips and sour cream if wanted.

Source: Slightly adapted from Eat Live Run

Not gonna lie, these are some of the best cupcakes I’ve ever eaten. I baked these for someone who loves banana pudding and was so happy with the result. It’s a simple yellow cake with banana pudding in the center, a light whipped banana frosting, plus a vanilla wafer on the bottom and sprinkled on top.

Granted, I kinda messed up the frosting (didn’t have the fluff that I was going for) but it still tasted great. Semi-homemade desserts are so nice when you’re strapped for time but these are impressive and perfect for any banana pudding fan!

Banana Pudding Cupcakes

Ingredients:
For the cake:
Box of vanilla wafers
Yellow cake mix, plus eggs, oil, water needed

For the filling:
Small box of instant banana pudding
1 3/4 cups milk

For the frosting:
Small box of instant banana pudding
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup milk
8 oz tub of Cool Whip, thawed

Yield: 2 dozen cupcakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 24 muffin cups with liners and set aside.

Place a vanilla wafer in the bottom of each cupcake liner. Prepare cupcake batter as called for on box instructions and fill liners 2/3 full. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Place on baking racks to cool.

While cupcakes cool, prepare frosting. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, powdered sugar, and pudding mix. Gently fold in the Cool Whip until fully combined. Refrigerate for about an hour, or until ready to use.

To prepare the filling, whisk together the cold milk and banana pudding mix until thick, about 2 minutes. Once cupcakes are cool, core or cut a circle from the middle and fill with pudding.

In a large Ziploc bag, crush 2 dozen vanilla wafers. Spread or pipe on the frosting and sprinkle with crushed vanilla wafers. Store cupcakes in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

Source: Slightly adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen

This simple meal has become a staple in our house. I originally made a biscuit topped pie years ago, but then decided to adapt it into cute individual servings. The creamy sauce combined with the hearty chicken and vegetables makes for a stick-to-your-guts comfort food that we enjoy year round. The addition of some cheese and herbs to the crust makes the dish extra savory and delicious. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
For the sauce:
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup milk or heavy cream
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
Dash of salt and pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Dash of white pepper (optional)

2 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/2 bag of frozen mixed vegetables (12 oz bag)

For the crust:
4 oz cream cheese, softened
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 Tbsp shredded parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried parsley

Yield: 4 pies

Directions:
Cook the chicken breasts and cut into small pieces. Set aside. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

For the sauce: Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk it until combined. Add the chicken broth and whisk until smooth. Add the milk/cream, garlic powder, onion powder, a dash of salt and pepper, and any other spices you’d like.

Add the frozen vegetables and chicken to the sauce and stir to combine. Pour the mixture evenly into four ramekins and set aside.

For the crust: Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer until smooth. Add the flour, cheese, basil, and parsley and beat until fully combined. Divide the dough into four equal pieces. Flatten each piece and score it in the middle, to make sure some air can escape during cooking. Drape a piece of the dough over each ramekin and lightly push the edges to seal.

Put the ramekins on a baking sheet (in case anything boils over) and bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the crust is fully cooked. Put the ramekin on a small plate or saucer since it will be very hot, and serve immediately.

Source: A Beckster Original

I live and work in the country. A small Texas town similar to Shiner. When I give directions to folks from a big city, referencing a Farm to Market road is often met with a confused question mark. FM? What’s that? Always makes me giggle.

This ale is named after FM 966 located in Shiner, TX. I’d never tried a Farmhouse Ale before, but I really enjoyed this special Spring brew. This ale is super drinkable and delicious – smooth, refreshing, and perfect to sip on a warm Spring day in Texas!

From the label: “A few centuries ago, during the cold winter months, farmhands in Europe brewed a ‘seasonal provision’ Farmhouse Ale to be enjoyed once spring rolled around. In the farmlands of Shiner, TX that tradition lives on which is why our tribute to this style uses Golding, Sterling and Meridian hops for a sweet yet lightly spiced flavor. Our incredibly refreshing farmhouse ale bears the name of the farm to market road just to the south of where our brewery has proudly stood for over 100 years.”

(left to right: Nutella focaccia. Sweet shop in Assisi. Cannoli. Prosciutto, mozzarella, and arugula sandwich. Latte and a Nutella croissant. Salami and mozzarella sandwich. Sausage and mushroom pizza. Bakery with HUGE meringues. Fresh focaccia bread from the brick oven.)

(left to right: St. Peter’s Basilica. The Colosseum. St. John Lateran. The Pantheon. Pope Francis! The Spanish Steps. St. Paul Outside the Walls. Trevi fountain. St. Mary Major.)

(left to right: Mezze maniche con chianti, speck e zucchini. Risotto radicchio e speck. Pasta cacio e pepe. Fregnacce con broccoli, speck e pecorino. Fusilli panna, funghi e salsiccia. Pasta carbonara. Pasta bolognese. Risotto ai funghi porcini. Gnocchi alla sorrentina.)

(left to right: In Assisi: St. Francis Basilica. St. Clare Basilica. St. Mary of the Angels. In Pisa: The leaning tower (built as the bell tower for the cathedral!) The beautiful cathedral. The baptistry outside of the cathedral. In Florence and Siena: The cathedral in Florence. The gorgeous dome in the cathedral. The cathedral in Siena.)

(left to right: Strawberry and pistachio gelato. Banana and chocolate combo. Chocolate hazelnut. Dark chocolate. Chocolate rum from San Crispino. Mint chocolate. Kit Kat gelato. Coconut and chocolate combo. Tiramisu gelato – my favorite!)

While we had a great time and would love to visit again, it’s good to be back in Texas and cooking in my own kitchen. Stay tuned for some tasty things coming your way!

These were the new addition to our 2013 Mardi Gras pancake dinner, per the request of my husband. Good choice, my dear! These taste exactly like a cinnamon roll in pancake form, which is definitely as amazing as it sounds.

It all starts with a pretty basic pancake recipe, but when the batter starts to bubble, you swirl on a cinnamon filling. It looks normal at first, but when you flip the pancake and cook the other side, it somehow indents the pancake to make it look like a real cinnamon roll. Magically delicious!

Then drizzle on the cream cheese glaze, serve with a side of bacon or sausage, and you have a mighty tasty meal! I wouldn’t eat these every day, but they sure would be a nice treat every once and a while when you want to splurge.

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Ingredients:
Cinnamon Filling:
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, just melted
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar
1/2 Tbsp ground cinnamon

Cream Cheese Glaze:
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Pancakes:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Yield: 8 pancakes

Directions:
Prepare the cinnamon filling: In a medium bowl, stir together the butter, brown sugar and cinnamon. Scoop the filling into a quart-sized heavy zip baggie and set it aside.

Prepare the glaze: In a small pan, heat the butter over low heat until melted. Turn off the heat and whisk in the cream cheese until it is almost smooth. Sift the powdered sugar into the pan, stir and add in vanilla extract. Set the pan aside while you make the pancakes.

Prepare the pancake batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the milk, egg, and oil, just until the batter is moistened (a few small lumps are fine).

Cook the pancakes: Heat a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat and spray with nonstick spray. Use an ice cream scoop (or 1/3 cup measuring cup) to add the batter to the pan. Use the bottom of the scoop or cup to spread the batter into a circle (about 4-inches in diameter). Reduce the heat to medium low. Snip the corner of your baggie of cinnamon filling and squeeze the filling into the open corner. When your pancake begins to form bubbles, add the filling. Starting at the center of the pancake, squeeze the filling on top of the pancake batter in a swirl (just as you see in a regular cinnamon roll). Cook the pancake 2 to 3 minutes, or until the bubbles begin popping on top of the pancake and it’s golden brown on the bottom. Slide a thin, wide metal spatula underneath the pancake and gently but quickly flip it over. Cook an additional 2 to 3 minutes, until the other side is golden as well. When you flip the pancake onto a plate, you will see that the cinnamon filling has created a crater-swirl of cinnamon. Wipe out the pan with a paper towel, and repeat with the remaining pancake batter and cinnamon filling. Re-warm the glaze briefly, if needed. Serve pancakes topped with a drizzle of glaze.

Source: Recipe Girl

I thought this was a fitting post to announce that my dear husband and I are going to Italy next month! This trip started as a dream that we almost laughed off as impossible, but after looking at our vacation fund and rearranging our schedules, the dream became an unexpected reality! We’ll possibly be in Rome when the new Pope is chosen, take a side trip to Pisa, Florence, and Siena, plus we’ll be there for Holy Week and Easter! Can’t wait to share the experience with all of you.

Besides the awesome religious aspect of our trip, I’m beyond excited for all the great food we’ll get to eat. Although, I gave up coffee and Jason gave up alcohol for Lent. Go figure! We’ve been joking about how on Easter, I’ll be buzzed from espresso and he’ll be buzzed from Italian wine.

Besides pasta and pizza, one of my favorite Italian foods is gnocchi. I’ve always bought it pre-made at the grocery store, but have had it on my try-to-make-at-home list for a long time. Feeling all giddy and inspired by our upcoming trip motivated me to finally give it a try!

If you’ve never had gnocchi, I encourage you to give it a try! (the store bought variety is so easy to make – you just boil it like pasta) Gnocchi is typically a potato based dumpling that’s light, fluffy, and delicious. With only three main ingredients – potato, egg, and flour – it’s a pretty basic dish to make. Don’t get me wrong, there’s some prep work involved in making the dough, but once you get the gnocchi shaped, the cooking process goes pretty quickly.

This Italian favorite can be paired with pesto, marinara, cream sauce, or just some simple butter and herbs. I usually add some Italian sausage, then have some salad or a vegetable on the side to make a delicious hearty meal. Enjoy!

Homemade Potato Gnocchi

Ingredients:
2 large russet potatoes, halved
1 large egg, beaten
1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pesto sauce (or your sauce of choice)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Directions:
Place the halved potatoes in a pot of boiling salted water. Boil for about 40 minutes or until soft. Remove potatoes one by one with a slotted spoon and quickly peel them. Mash the potatoes with a with a fork or a ricer and ensure there are no lumps. Don’t over mash – they should be light and fluffy. Let them cool for about 10 minutes.

Shape potatoes into a mound with a well in the middle. Pour the egg into the well and sprinkle on 3/4 of the flour and a pinch of salt and pepper. Using a metal cutter, mix the flour, potato, and egg by gently chopping and scraping the ingredients together. Chop, scrape, chop, scrape until the ingredients are roughly combined. The dough should be moist but not sticky. If they are too sticky then sprinkle on the remaining 1/4 of flour.

Lightly flour your work surface and then gently roll the dough several times with a very light touch. You don’t want to over mix the dough. It should feel light and airy. Place the dough on a clean surface and cut about 8 logs.

On a floured surface, gently roll each log so that it’s about 2/3 inch thick. Using the cutter, cut off 1/2 inch or smaller pieces. Mark the gnocchi with a fork by lightly but quickly rolling them down the inside of the fork’s prongs. This reduces the bulk of the gnocchi and makes little grooves to catch the sauce.

Bring some salted water to the boil. Have a non-stick pan ready, on medium heat, with 1 tsp of butter next to the boiling water. Place the gnocchi in batches into the boiling water. Remove them with a slotted spoon as soon as they float to the top and then sauté them in the butter for about 1 minute or until they brown slightly.

Place the browned gnocchi into the waiting bowl of pesto and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Source: Slightly adapted from All Things Nice

I’ve always wanted to attempt making a homemade King Cake for Mardi Gras, and this year, per my husband’s request and my sheer determination, I decided to go for it! I didn’t have a recipe to start, but then I saw that The Catholic Foodie has shared his tried and true recipe with the world. Any new recipe is a little intimidating, but with a little time and attention, this is literally a piece of cake!

This starts as a pretty normal bread recipe, but the hints of lemon and nutmeg really make it something special. I decided to add some pecans and cinnamon to the cream cheese filling to add a little more texture and flavor. As for the icing, you can either make colored icings instead of sprinkles, but just FYI – colored sugars are SO easy to make in whatever color you’re needing. Just put some granulated sugar in a ziploc bag, add a little gel food coloring, and smoosh it together for a while till it’s all incorporated. Voila – cheap and simple colored sugar – fit for a King Cake!

I hope yall had a fun Mardi Gras and are having a blessed Lenten season!

Mardi Gras King Cake

Ingredients:
2 packets of active dry yeast (4 1/2 tsp)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 sticks of butter, melted
1 cup warm milk (about 110 F)
5 large egg yolks, room temperature
4 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg (freshly grated if possible!)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tsp vegetable or olive oil
1 lb cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup chopped pecans
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
1 plastic king cake baby
5 Tbsp milk, room temperature
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
Purple, green, and yellow food coloring or colored sugar

Yield: 1 large cake (about 15-20 servings)

Directions:
For the dough: Combine the yeast and the granulated sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. If you don’t have a stand mixer, don’t worry, you can do the same thing by hand in a large mixing bowl. Add melted butter and warm milk and beat for one minute at medium-low speed. With the mixer still running, add the egg yolks and beat for another minute. Add the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest and beat until everything is incorporated. Increase the speed to high and beat until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl and forms a ball (or starts to climb up the dough hook). As with any dough, you may have to add water (a tablespoon at a time) or more flour to get the right results. Remove the dough from the bowl and, using your hands, form it into a smooth ball. Using vegetable or regular olive oil, lightly oil a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, rolling it around to coat it on all sides with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm, draft-free place for about 2 hours. You want the dough to double in size.

For the filling: In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, pecans, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup of confectioner’s sugar. Blend using a fork or an electric mixer on low speed. Set aside.

After the dough has doubled in size: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Using your hands or a rolling pin, roll it out into a rectangle about 30 inches long and 6 inches wide. Take the cream cheese filling and spread it out lengthwise over the bottom half of the dough. Flip the top half of the dough over the filling and seal the edges with your fingers, pinching the dough together. Shape the dough into a cylinder and place it on a lined baking sheet seam side down. Shape it into a ring and pinch the ends together, doing your best so that there’s no visible seam. Cover the ring with plastic wrap (or a clean kitchen towel) and set aside in a warm, draft-free place. Let the dough rise until doubled in size (about 45 minutes). Preheat oven to 350 F. Once the cake has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap or towel and brush the surface of the cake with 2 Tbsp of milk. Place cake in oven and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until it is golden brown. Remove from the oven and carefully place the cake on a wire rack so that it can cool completely. When it is completely cooled, insert the plastic baby from the bottom of the cake.

For the icing: In a mixing bowl, combine 3 cups of confectioner’s sugar, 3 Tbsp of milk and 3 Tbsp of lemon juice. Stir well with a fork or whisk. Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the icing over the cake with a spoon. Sprinkle colored sugars alternately in purple, green, and yellow. Or instead of using colored sugars, before icing, divide the icing into three small bowls and color them with purple, green, and yellow food coloring. Ice the cake, alternating the icing colors. Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Source: Slightly adapted from The Catholic Foodie

I was recently gifted a donut pan and couldn’t wait to break it in! For my first go around, I figured I’d use the basic Wilton recipe that came with the pan. But instead of rolling the donuts in butter and cinnamon sugar, I just sprinkled some on before baking them to add a little extra flavor and crunch. (plus why add more calories when you get the same taste?)

These donuts were so delicious, especially when fresh out of the oven. They’re really easy to toss together and would make a nice homemade breakfast when you have friends or family over. I can’t wait to try different varieties and maybe get a mini donut pan too!

Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts

Ingredients:
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup cake flour
3/4 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp butter, melted
Cinnamon Sugar for topping

Yield: 1 dozen donuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Add the buttermilk, eggs, and butter. Beat until just combined. Spoon batter into the donut pan, until about 2/3 full. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over the top of each donut.

Bake for 7-9 minutes or until the tops of the donuts spring back when touched. Let cool in pan for 4-5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to completely cool.

Source: Slightly adapted from Wilton