Homemade "Frosty Paws" - 'Ice Cream' for your dog

My dogs LOVE ice cream

Like, our boxer... he won't mooch when you're eating a steak, but he hears the CRACK of the lid coming off of the ice cream bucket and he's drooling on your foot.

Whenever I take him to the vet, we stop at Mickey D's for a cone.

Yes, he is spoiled.

When my friend, Candi, over at The Devilish Dish, made these for her pooch a month ago, I knew I would be making them for Sully, for his birthday!

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Gabby is Sully's sister, and don't let her size fool you, she rules the roost.

She attended the "party" and loved the frosty paws as much as Sully Did.

This is the direct link to The Devilish Dish Recipe, I changed mine up a bit for what I had on hand, as she states, you can make them how she did or switch it up.

I didn't have banana, but had baby food carrots in my pantry... even though my youngest are almost 11, yea, don't ask.

Homemade Frosty Paws - Ice Cream for your dog

32 ounces of plain yogurt

1 jar of baby food carrots (or baby food meat or one mashed banana)

2-3 Tablespoons of Honey

2-3 Tablespoons of Peanut Butter

Combine the ingredients until smooth. I made mine a little sweeter, because he's a "sweets dog"-- I used 3 T of peanut butter and honey.

Pour into muffin tins, or cupcake liners.  I used the silicone ones, per Candi's suggestion, and they were AWESOME!

Freeze and let the doggies enjoy!

Makes about 12.

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins

Last year on Pinterest there was a picture going around how to make pumpkin muffins with a yellow cake mix and a can of pumpkin.

I pinned it right away.  That sounded too good to be true!!

This year as fall approaches, I saw it hit facebook again yesterday.

I asked the gal who posted it, if she had ever tried it.

She hadn't but another lady I know, posted that she had and that they were awesome!

She said, it's only better when you use a spice cake mix!

I LOVE Spice Cake and Pumpkin, and guess what I had BOTH items in my pantry!

I baked up a batch today...and Yum!!

They are super easy and super moist, and only have about 108 calories! (based on 16 muffins)

Two Ingredient Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 box of Spice Cake Mix

1 - 15 ounce can of pumpkin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare 16 muffin tines with non-stick cooking spray or cupcake liners.

In a bowl, combine cake mix and pumpkin and stir until smooth and combined.

Divide between 16 muffin liners.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool.

Cherry Torte Cupcakes

When I made the Cherry Torte for my step-Dad's birthday, I made three 8x8 layers of cake.

I had just enough batter to experiment with six cupcakes.

The cake was amazing!!

You can find it here: Cherry Torte

But if you were in a bit of a rush, and wanted the same flavors, the cupcakes are the way to go.

This is the perfect combination.

It's like combining a cake with a pie with a cheesecake.

Crazy?

I know!!

Cherry Torte Cupcakes

1 box white cake mix 

1 can of cherry pie filling

whipped Cream Frosting (RECIPE FOUND HERE)

Prepare cupcakes as instructed on box, cool.

Core out a hole in the middle of the cupcake.

Poke two cherries and some filling down in the hole.

Top with whipped cream frosting and a cherry on top!

Keep in the refrigerator.

Cherry Torte

My step-dad is one of my favorite people to bake for.

He has a big 'ol sweet tooth!

We celebrated his 70th birthday on Labor Day, 

and his favorite cake if you would ask him is "wedding cake." 

Loves white cake!!

His favorite pie is cherry.

I decided to incorporate the two into one, and made this cherry torte!

Six layers of white cake, whipped cream frosting and cherry pie filling!

Candles for the birthday boy!

Here's Grandpa Joe while everyone sings him Happy Birthday!

You may think this looks hard to make, really it's quite simple.

Here's how!

Cherry Torte

2 boxes of white cake mix

2 cans cherry pie filling

Double batch of whipped cream frosting (RECIPE HERE)

Prepare Cake mixes according to the box instructions.

I made 3 8x8 layers, and did 6 cupcakes. 

If you want a taller cake, make 4 layers.

Open one can of cherries, and mash with a potato masher.

It will look sort of like a jam.

With a large bread knife slice the layers in half.

Spread a spoonful of cherries on bottom layer, the layer above it will get whipped frosting on the 

BOTTOM of the layer.

Keep alternating.

It looks like a stack of pancakes!!

Take a spoon or a rubber spatula and tidy up the sides.

Place cake and frosting in the refrigerator for about 20 minutes.

Pull out and "fill in" the sides where the layers are with frosting then do an all over "crumb coat layer."

Put it back in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.

Frost the cake.

I piped on a circle of frosting at the base and on the top of the cake.

Chill until ready to serve.

From second can of cherries, pull out the cherries, avoiding a lot of sauce, and place on the top of the cake inside the frosting circle.

There ya go!! 

I hope you like it as much as the birthday boy did!!

<3 p="">

Whipped Cream Frosting

When I made the Peaches and Cream Spice Cake for my Mother-in-law's birthday two weekends ago, I knew it wouldn't be the same without this frosting.  I don't know why I never shared it with you before?

If you like whipped cream and you like cream cheese or cheesecake, 

this will make you SWOON!!

Honestly, I don't think it really tastes like frosting at all?

So, this weekend when I made a Cherry Torte and Cherry Torte Cupcakes (recipes coming soon) I decided to snap a photo of it in the mixer and share it with you!

Whipped Cream Frosting

1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

2 cups heavy whipping cream

In your standing mixer, with whisk attachment,  combine the cream cheese, sugar and extracts until creamy, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl a couple of times, to make sure it's all incorporated.

Turn it on again and slowly pour in the cream.

Beat until frosting forms peaks, much like a whipped cream does.

I have found that if my stainless steel bowl of my mixer and whisk attachment are cold it peaks better.

This will frost a two layer cake.  Makes about 5 cups or so.

If this actually makes it to a cake...instead of eating it straight out of the bowl, 

make sure you keep it in the fridge.  

It'll melt!! 

Peaches & Cream Spice Cake

One thing I hate is having insomnia.  

It doesn't happen to me very often.  Usually when my head hits the pillow at night I am DONE.

But sometimes, my mind is going 100 mph and I can't shut it off.

Typically that happens when I am planning a party.

So I start baking in my mind.

I was planning my Mother-in-law's birthday dinner, and the one thing I knew would be involved...

PEACHES!

My dear friend, Betsy, has peach trees in her yard.

I have never in all my days had a peach from the grocery store that even compared to these!!

My Mother-in-law, Marie, LOVES peach pie.

If i ask her what kind of pie I should bring, she always says peach!

So that wasn't hard to decide.

Peach pie...peach pie...AND...?????

When we all get together there are usually like 20+ of us.

I needed a cake, too.

Last year I canned ginger peaches.

(so mad I never blogged those...)

I love spiced peaches.

So, I wondered... hummmm? Spice Cake?

What else goes with peaches?

I knew that if I asked my son, Spencer he would reminisce about having peaches and cream at his great grandma's house.

(My Mother-in-law's Mother-in-law...)

So, cream it was!!

I made a Spice Cake and filled it with a peach filling, topped it off with whipped cream frosting.

Top it off with freshly sliced peaches...to make it pretty! <3 p="">

So, now I will share with you what I did... It was really quite easy!!

Peaches & Cream Spice Cake

Cake:

1 box spice cake, make according to box instructions for a layer cake

Bake According to the box.

Peach Filling:

3 T cornstarch

1/2 cup sugar

3 T lemon juice

1 1/2 cup peaches, mashed

1 c boiling water

1 T butter

2 t lemon zest

a couple of drops of pink food coloring (optional)

In a double boiler over water, add sugar, salt and cornstarch.  Top off with boiling water and stir until thick and there are no lumps.

Add butter, lemon zest and juice. Mix thoroughly.

Add peaches a optional food coloring.

Stir.

Place in refrigerator to cool.

Whipped Cream Frosting:

1 - 8 oz package of cream cheese, softened

1/2 c granulated sugar

1 t vanilla extract

1/2 t almond extract

2 c heavy whipping cream

In your standing mixer with whisk attachment whip together cream cheese and sugar until smooth.

Add extracts and slowly add cream.

Whip continually, occasionally stopping beater to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, until frosting forms peaks.

Place in refrigerator while you assemble the cake.

When cake is cool, place bottom layer on your plate.

Top with peach filling, saving a little bit to fill in sides.

Top off with second layer.

Fill in the gaps in the sides of the filling.

It looks like a giant hamburger!! ;)

Spread frosting over top and sides of cake.

Top with fresh peaches, and add some to the sides.

Keep in the refrigerator.

Top with candles! (optional)

Serve to your favorite birthday girl (or boy...)

Optional...but so nice!!

Happy Birthday, Marie!!

Mint Brookies

Wednesday morning my oldest daughter informed me that she was having dinner at my niece's house with all of her cousins to send my nephew, Alex, off to college.  

She offered to bring dessert.

Now mind you she was headed to school from 8-3:30, and worked until 6. I wasn't sure when she planned to make the brownie mix she had in her hand?

She told me she was just taking it over my niece's and making it there.

yea, right.

I'd like to think I was teaching her entertaining skills...but that morning I felt like I was failing miserably.

I decided that a regular 'ol brownie mix wasn't going to be the way to go.

I decided that cookies would be a better option.

My baking cupboard was looking pretty sparse.

So....how about Brookies?

Yes!! It's the best of both worlds, a cookie and a brownie!

I dug through my cupboard and found some mint chips, perfect!

Mint/Chocolate is my niece, Leah's favorite combination!

*she grins*

So this is what I came up with!

Using the brownie mix and my muffin pan, these Mint Brookies were created!!

I was later informed by Liz, my departing nephew's girlfriend, who was also leaving for college, that it was the perfect idea, being since they were attending South Dakota State University in Brookings, South Dakota!

Score one for me that I didn't even know about!

*winks*

Mint Brookies with Milk based Mint Ganache Drizzle

Brookie

1 brownie mix that makes a 9x13 pan, made according to box instructions

plus, 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

3/4 cup mint chocolate chips

Mint Chocolate Ganache Drizzle (made with milk not cream)

1 cup mint chocolate chips

3 Tablespoons milk

dash of peppermint extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Prepare muffin tins with non-stick cooking spray.

Prepare brownie mix as directed on package, and add in extract and mint chips.

Pour into muffin tins, I filled them about 1/3 of the way full.

Note: They got a little bit thicker than I had intended. If you want them more like a cookie, they would make more, my batch made 20, but you would have to vary the baking time a bit, and bake them for a shorter amount of time.

Bake for 15 minutes, watch them closely!

Cool in pans for a bit, then remove and cool on your counter for a little while longer.

Place chips and milk in a sauce pan over low heat, stirring constantly until the chips are melted.

Add dash of extract and give it a swirl with a whisk.

Drizzle over the brookies.

Drizzle will firm up some, if you don't want them quite as gooey, place them in the fridge for a bit before serving.

cousin love