Coconut Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting

Say that five times real fast.

Better yet, skip the cake all together and just eat the frosting, I won't judge.

Seriously?

This frosting the cat's meOW!

The best way I can describe it is to say that it's like spreading a coconut cheesecake on your other cake.

I am hopelessly in love.

Coconut Cream Cheese Whipped Cream Frosting

1 - 8 ounce package cream cheese softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon coconut extract extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream

In your mixer cream together cream cheese, sugar and extracts until smooth.

Switch to whisk attachment, and slowly add in whipping cream, beat until stiff peaks form.

* I like to put my mixer bowl and beaters in the freezer for a bit before I make this.  Seems to peak better if it's cold, but it's not necessary. *

If you can resist eating all of it out of the bowl, put it on this scrumptious Coconut Cream Poke Cake!

You're tummy will thank you either way!

Valentine - U Rock

When we were making my kiddos' homemade Valentines this year, my son, Hayden loved the idea of using Pop Rocks and the "U Rock" idea.

I needed to buy a lot of Pop Rocks, though, so I got on Amazon to see what they had.

(Amazon seriously has EVERYTHING!!)

When I saw these bubble gum ones, we were sold!!

I placed an order and in a couple of days, they were on my porch!

I took a picture of Hayden dressed in his red skinny jeans and sup cool hoodie, holding my oldest daughter's electric guitar.

In picmonkey, my photo editing site I use, I chose the daguerreotype frame setting to make the picture look funky-rock ish...

chose some cool fonts and sent it off to be printed at Walgreens.

An hour later, we were sticking Pop Rocks to the back of each picture with double sided tape.

Valentine's Made!! 

Here are some of the other Valentine's we have made in the past:

Homemade Valentine's Steal my Heart

Won't CHEW be my Valentine?

We LOVE Valentine's Day around here!!

Well, let's be honest, I kind of cram it down their throats, so they have succumbed to my LOVE of the day!

I love it... what's not to love?

Chocolates and flowers and MAIL!! 

I love getting "fun" mail.

The last three years, I have had fun with my two youngest making homemade Valentines.

This is Josie's Valentine she handed out to her friends.

I took a photo of her, standing in her room by a piece of her art work, palm up, blowing a bubble.

In picmonkey, a photo editing site, I turned it black and white then brought the color back in a few spaces.

I used double sided tape to stick a piece of double bubble in her hand.

Valentine's made!

Here is a link to other Valentine's we have done in the past:

Homemade Valentine's Steal my Heart

Snow Ice Cream

This winter has been BRUTAL.

Living in Nebraska, we are used to snow, but this COLD?

It's good for nothing.

One thing about this winter, though, almost all of the snow, has missed us.

It goes North ... It goes South...

it goes around us.

Our kids have had "cold days" but no "Snow Days" until yesterday.

We finally got some snow, to at least make the cold worth while!

The kid were home, I was in the kitchen baking all day and then we made 

SNOW ICE CREAM!

This isn't the first time we have made snow ice cream, but this was the first time using this recipe.

I had heard others talk of snow ice cream with Sweetened Condensed Milk and I thought it was time to give it a whirl.

Here is the recipe for my OTHER Snow Ice Cream.

This one is really good, too!!

I got it from Paula Dean!

Snow Ice Cream

Paula Dean

8 cups snow

1 - 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Combine in a big bowl until smooth.

Serve with your favorite toppings!

Coconut Cream Poke Cake with Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting

Now, I am here to tell you, that there aren't many things I don't eat.

I'm really not picky at all.

But coconut has never been a favorite of mine.

I love it in Pina Coladas ... and suntan lotion ... even more when these two things are put together, 

but to eat?

Not so much.

My husband LOVES coconut, and I make him this Chocolate Macaroon Cake every year for his birthday.

I usually just eat around the coconut, and give that part to him, which is just one more thing he can love about me in the end, right?

Well, I have to admit, this cake I made here, it has got me starting a love affair with coconut!

I actually ate TWO pieces!! 

(I know, right?)

I was asked to bring dessert for the Super Bowl party my brother and sister in law were hosting, and just like my husband, his whole family LOVES coconut.

I have seen various coconut cake recipes I wanted to try, but honestly, couldn't settle on one.  So I started picking components from each one I liked and this was the finished product!

I will just tell you, that this is BY FAR the BEST frosting I have ever eaten.

I switched up my whipped cream frosting just a smidgen and it was PERFECTION with this cake!

Whipped Cream Frosting

Coconut Cream Poke Cake

with

Coconut Whipped Cream Frosting

Cake:

1 box of white cake mix

1 3.4 ounce box of instant vanilla pudding 

1 1/4 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

3 egg whites

1 teaspoon coconut extract

** I got to thinking that every cake mix isn't the same, so rule of thumb: Replace water with milk, add pudding of choice, add extract and leave the eggs and oil as per instructions on the 

box of cake mix! **

"Poke" Cream:

1-  15 ounce can coconut cream 

1- 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

Frosting:

1- 8 ounce package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 teaspoon coconut extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream 

2 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease and flour 2 - 9" cake pans.

**this cake would be super easy to make as a 9x13, so if you're not looking for the presentation of the layers, I would recommend it! **

In your mixer, combine all of the ingredients for the cake for about 30 seconds, then beat for 2 minutes.

Distribute evenly in each cake pan and bake for 30 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Combine ingredients for cream and set aside.

While cakes are warm poke holes all over with a large fork or skewer.

Pour cream mixture over the top of the cakes.

(I think the next time I will only use about 3/4 of the mixture, the cakes got REALLY moist, which made them a little more difficult to layer)

Place in the refrigerator for about 5 hours, or over night is even better.

To make the frosting, cream together cream cheese, sugar and extracts until smooth.

Then, with the whisk attachment, slowly add the whipping cream and and whip until stiff peaks form.

(it tastes like a coconut cheesecake!!)

To remove the cakes from their pans:

This is a little tricky. I took a thin knife and ran it around the edge, and I sat the bottom of the pan in hot water for a minute or two, to loosen it up.

I flipped it out onto a piece of waxed paper, then flipped it again onto my plate.

Top with bottom layer with a little frosting, and about 1/2 cup of coconut.

Place second layer on top, frost and top with remaining coconut.

If you are making in a 9x13 you wouldn't have to worry about removing the layers, just frost and top with coconut, and you're done!! :)

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

Typically when I go to Taco Bell I order the same thing #1 no sour cream on the tacos.... burrito yes, taco...no.

If I sway...it's for a Mexican Pizza.

Dang, they are just so good.

I have seen many versions of them on other people's blogs, and on Pinterest, and couldn't decide which one to try, so like usual, I just ran with it.

They were a HUGE hit at our house!!

(and it was SUB ZERO outside and I didn't have to leave to "make a run for the border!")

ooey gooey cheese.

My family doesn't like olives... (Whhhhat?!) so this one is MINE!

Copy Cat Taco Bell Mexican Pizza

1-1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef

1 small onion, diced

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 packet Taco Bell  Taco Seasoning (or make YOUR OWN)

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 15 ounce can Fat-Free refried beans (I love the old El Paso spicy ones!), warmed

Salsa or taco sauce, your choice, we buy the Taco Bell Taco Sauce in a bottle

8 - 9" flour tortillas, soft taco size

2 cups Shredded Mexican Cheese, divided

tops of 4 Green Onions, sliced

4 Roma sized tomatoes, diced

Sliced black olives (optional)

Non-Stick Cooking Spray

In a skillet brown your ground beef with onions and garlic, salt and pepper to taste, drain, add taco seasoning packet and 1/4 cup water and simmer for about 10 minutes.

Set Aside.

Spray a small skillet with non-stick cooking spray and place on stove over medium heat. 

Place a tortilla in skillet and let it slightly brown, and flip it to do the other side.

The kids got a kick out of watching the big bubbles!

Place them on a paper towel until you're ready to "build" your pizzas.

We made 4 pizzas, so you will need 8 tortillas browned on both sides.

Now it's time to BUILD your pizzas.

Place about 1/3 cup of refried beans and top with about 1/2 cup beef mixture, spread to coat.

Top with other tortilla.

Place under broiler set on low for about 5 minutes. 

Remove from oven. 

Spread with 2-3 Tablespoons of salsa/taco sauce.

Sprinkle with tomatoes, green onions and cheese.

Top with olives.

Broil on high for 3-5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Remove from oven, plate, slice and dig in!

(Skinny) London Fog - Earl Grey Latte

London Fog - Earl Grey Latte

This is my FAVORITE thing to order at Scooters, our local coffee shop.

At Scooters, I order a Skinny London Fog.

If I find myself wanting one, and I am at Starbucks, I call it a Skinny Earl Grey Tea Latte.

Earl Grey tea is my most favorite.  Add a little vanilla syrup and steamed milk and a little froth to the top?

Come to Mama!!

Now, I make mine "skinny" by using skim milk and sugar free syrup, but if you can afford the calories, be my guest and use whole milk and SUGAR! ;)

(Skinny) London Fog - Earl Grey Latte

Earl Grey Tea loose or tea bag

Boiling water

1/2 cup skim milk

2 teaspoons sugar free vanilla syrup

The mug I used is pretty large, it holds almost two cups, so you may need to vary the amount of milk to the amount of tea you have.

Add boiling water to tea at steep for about 5 minutes.

Stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla syrup.

(you can also substitute sugar and vanilla extract in place of the syrup, start with 1 teaspoon vanilla and add sugar to taste)

Use 1/2 cup of milk to make your steamed milk and froth to top your tea.

HOW to FROTH Milk at Home

Stir warm milk into tea then spoon foam on top.

Enjoy!