Tag Archives: cupcakes

A Different Kind Of Cupcake ~ Savory Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes

Earlier this week I spied some Buffalo Chicken Cupcakes on Instagram and knew they’d be on our table by week’s end. Thanks, Cherish!

Here is what you’ll need:

{2 cups cooked and shredded or chopped chicken, tube of THIN pizza crust, 8 ounce whipped cream cheese [I used the one with chives], 6 ounce plain fat free Greek yogurt, 2 tbsp Ranch dressing seasoning powder [not pictured], 3/4 cup Frank’s buffalo sauce, 1/2 cup blue cheese crumbles [I added this ingredient ~ a must with buffalo chicken!] and 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese}

Unroll your pizza dough onto a little bit of flour and cut into 12 {even} squares. Apparently this was a challenge for me…

Next time I will be a little more diligent with my measuring! Spray your muffin pan with Pam and then tuck your little squares of dough in each one to form a little cup for the filling to sit in. As you can see, mine were somewhat haphazard, but it didn’t affect the taste!

Mix the chicken, Ranch dressing mix, cream cheese, yogurt, Frank’s sauce and blue cheese, if using, into a bowl and then spoon equal amounts into the cups. Sprinkle one cup mozzarella cheese evenly over the cupcakes and bake at 375* for about 15-20 minutes.

They were reeeeaaally good. My only tweak would be to use about half the cream cheese next time and maybe add a little more chicken. For me, there were a bit too saucy, but delish nevertheless!

I served them with a simple side of marinated cucumbers…

Will most definitely be making this fun meal again and again.

Enjoy!

*****

Linking up with Mel over at The Larson Lingo!

Need some {sweet} new cupcake ideas? Come on over and see what’s been linked up!

Love Thy Mother

If you’re like me, you have the best intentions with the reusable shopping bags.

We own like 50 of them.

But 10 are here. 10 there. 5 over yonder. 7 in the garage. 3 in the pantry.

But ZERO in the car when you need them.

I’m getting better. I unload the groceries, fold up the bags and return them to the coche, pronto!

Especially since Ralphs gives points for using them with the rewards card ~ LOVE that.

But points or no points, we all should be using them. I tend to forget them when I go to Target {which is A LOT} and I am going to be better about that. They’re certainly not just for groceries.

Why am I going on and on about cloth bags?

Tomorrow is Earth Day!

Wear GREEN to spread awareness.

Start your day out with a {green} smoothie

{photo via}

{I have yet to blend up a smoothie with spinach, but I’m going to soon….promise}

Bake these adorable {Plant A Tree for Earth Day} Cupcakes

{via}

Snack on these cute {Carrot Patches}…

{via}

…or some green {Edamame Hummus}

{via}

If you don’t want to make your own, just grab some at your local Trader Joe’s….this stuff is unbelieveable! We tried it for the first time last weekend and I’m still thinking about it. I’m starting to read labels more and if I remember correctly, I could pronounce and comprehend what 99.9% of the ingredients were. Goes great with their pita crisps with sea salt….or they sell tiny soft pita bread rounds that would also pair well with this spread.

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So remember to turn off the lights when not in use, combine errands to save gas, reduce, reuse, recycle, walk or bike to school, work or the store, drink out of reusable bottles, zap the ziplocs and use washable plastic containers instead, take a shorter shower, make sure your trash goes IN the trash can {can I just tell you that I HATE when people litter! Not that any of you floppers do, but I’m just sayin’. Hate it! Like I have seen people cleaning out their cars at stop lights and tossing Burger King trash out the window!!!!! Ugh! Hate, hate, hate!} and don’t forget your cloth shopping bags! 😉

Most of all, get outside, enjoy the sunshine and LOVE our Mother Earth.

Perfect Portable Pigskin Picnic

I decided to pack a healthier dinner to take to the UCLA game last night…

I love me some chopped salads!

Asian Chop Chop Salad with Sriracha-lime Ranch

{This salad was inspired by one of my favorites ~ Chopped Taco Salad}

I just took some romaine hearts and sliced/chopped into bite size pieces.

I added some ground turkey that I browned up with a little green onion, some grated carrot and some TJ’s soyaki sauce. {this is the same mixture for our favorite lettuce wraps, too} I then chopped some veggies…red pepper, red onion, sugar snap peas, more grated carrots, cucumber and cilantro. Throw in some mandarin oranges and some Wasabi Ranch wonton crunchies and toss with store bought ranch dressing doctored up with a few squeezes of lime and some sriracha sauce!

{these are my new fave find}

I layered it in some plastic food storage containers and carried the wontons and dressing separately to toss right before serving.

I was afraid that these containers {5 cups} were a little to small and the portions would leave us still hungry, but it was plenty.

It was reeeallly good. Spicy from the dressing and sweet from the mandarin oranges. Can’t wait to make this again. Next time I’ll use napa cabbage and throw in some toasted sliced almonds for added crunch.

A healthier alternative to your average tailgate grub.

It’s perfect because you don’t need plates ~ just eat it right out of the container.

Enjoy!

Autumn In A Paper Wrapper

Apple + a stick + caramel = Fall

However, I found a recipe for apple cupcakes and one for caramel butter cream and married the two.

Perfection.

I usually cheat and use a boxed mix, but Betty & Duncan can eat their hearts out.

These apple cupcakes from scratch are SO easy.

{I suppose you could use a spice cake mix and just add a chopped Granny Smith, too.}

The butter cream uses caramel ice cream topping and can be whipped up in no time.

Next time I’ll make my own caramel, though.

Here are E & H delivering these tasty morsels and singing “Happy Birthday” to Gramma…

Rustic Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Butter Cream

*****

These’ll putcha in a Fall mood in NO time!

Enjoy!

Tuesday Tidbits

Happy June 1st!

In just 9 days Elliott will “graduate” from preschool.

Onto bigger and better things…

Kindergarten.

What a special day that will be.

Carrying her new fancy polka dot lunch bag probably containing a little first-day-of-school surprise from Mama.

Dressed in some new school duds.

And new shoes on her little size 11 tootsies.

{Tear.}

They had cap and gown pics taken at school:

The first of many graduations to come in her life…

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I’ve been blogging for exactly 7 months today.

What I love about blogging is that I have “met” some other Blogger Mamas who are super duper creative, fabulous in the kitchen and party planning fanatics ~ one of them being Erin over at Bringing Up Burns!

I am excited and honored to have contributed a recipe for Espresso Cupcakes on her foodie blog, Haute Plates today!

Please click over and check out her oodles of tried and true eats! There is everything from A-V (appetizers to vegan!). I have tried a few of her recipes and can’t wait to sample a few more. They’re absolutely delish. I love that, in Blog Land, you never have to worry about eating the same thing twice if you don’t want to. There are tons of easy, family oriented ideas for cooking, baking, crafts, gift ideas, home decor, etc. out there so when you have a minute check out some of my favorites on the right side bar. They will suck you in and you will be forever inspired!

Thanks again, Erin! Hoping to meet you IRL real soon!

*****

Caffeine Cakes

I’ll take my caffeine any way I can get it!

I made these Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Frosting and they’re good…and easy, too!

Take one box Dark Chocolate cake mix (I like Duncan Hines) and prepare according to package directions, but substitute water with strong coffee. Bake into cupcakes or sheet cake and frost with espresso frosting!

I made my espresso frosting with instant espresso ~ about a Tbsp mixed with just a tad bit of boiling water. Let sit for a few minutes and then mix with a container of vanilla store-bought frosting and spread or pipe onto cupcakes or cake. Wish I would’ve had some chocolate covered coffee beans to top them with!

Enjoy!