Anyway, can we talk about Katrina for a second?

The first (and only) time I met her was at a food conference. I walked in the door and she ran right up to me, grabbed my arm, and said “you can sit by me!” Then she felt like a weirdo and started apologizing for kidnapping me. You guys. I had never loved her more than I did right then. I hate walking into a conference and wondering who is going to be nice to me and let me sit by them. I feel like the new kid in the cafeteria on their first day of high school. She totally saved my life by letting me sit with the cool kids. I will love her for always. Katrina is just as sweet in person as she is online.

Okay, enough mushy stuff, because gross.

I made y’all some s’mores. I don’t know about you, but around this time every year I start thinking about all of the s’mores I missed out on over the summer. I’m not much of a campfire kind of girl (if we could only figure out how to bring the fire inside, with the air conditioning and lack of bugs…), so I don’t always get a lot of traditional s’mores. I have to go a little crazy in the kitchen to get my fix. This time around, I’m doctoring up a box of brownie mix. You can certainly use your favorite recipe, but I like to cheat every now and then. Shortcuts are my friend.

So, I hope you enjoy these heavenly little ooey gooey treats! And, Katrina? I love you, girl. Get better. I miss your face.

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S'mores Brownies

Ingredients

• 1 box brownie mix prepared according to the package, but not baked
• 12- ish graham crackers
• 2 cups mini marshmallows
• 3 Hershey's bars

Instructions

• Prepare the brownie batter as directed on the box and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
• Line the bottom of the baking dish with graham crackers, breaking them into pieces to fit as needed.
• Pour half of the brownie batter over the graham crackers. Top with 1 cup of the mini marshmallows. Break the Hershey's bars into pieces and place half of the pieces on top of the marshmallows.
• Top with the remaining graham crackers as evenly as possible. Pour on the remaining brownie batter, top with the rest of the marshmallows and Hershey's bar pieces.
• Bake according to package directions or until the brownies are baked through.

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Today I’m bringing you a dip that is perfect for fall and it could not possibly be easier to make! I was inspired by Hershey’s Pumpkin Spice Kisses. They are soft and creamy when you bite into them and full of that pumpkin spice flavor that everyone loves.

The best part is, this dip only has three ingredients. Honestly, the hardest part about making this is unwrapping the candy kisses. It kind of takes forever, or maybe it just seemed like forever because my 9-month-old was crawling up my leg and my daughter was whining because she wanted to eat all the kisses.

You can serve this dip with any number of things: pretzels, graham crackers, animal crackers, etc. I’d highly recommend pretzels, personally. I love the salty sweet combination and this dip is sweeeeeeet. That salty bite from the pretzel is the perfect partner for the dip.

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Pumpkin Spice Kiss Dip

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• 14 ounces marshmallow fluff
• 10 ounce bag of Pumpkin Spice Hershey’s Kisses unwrapped
• animal crackers or pretzels for dipping

Instructions

• Using a stand mixer and the paddle attachment, mix cream cheese and marshmallow fluff on medium speed until fluffy and well combined. Add in kisses and continue to mix until kisses are broken up and incorporated.
• Best served immediately with pretzels or animal crackers but may be refrigerated. If refrigerated, let come to room temperature for about an hour prior to serving.

Enjoy! Feel free to stop by Rachel Cooks and say hi some time! You can also find me on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, and Instagram. Or you can subscribe to my emails and never miss a recipe!

The post Pumpkin Spice Kiss Dip appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

I would suggest Enjoy Life Top 8 Allergen Free Chocolate Chips.

Hi there Katrina fans! This is Dorothy, from Crazy for Crust, the dessert blog where I bake up lots of treats and serve them with a slice of my life.

I wish I could say I was super excited to be here today, but I probably speak for everyone when I say I wish Katrina could be here instead!

But anyway, because she’s not, you’re stuck with me. But don’t be upset – I’m super fun. I love crust – but I love sugar too. Allllll of it. I don’t think I’ve ever met a treat I didn’t like.

I mean, I’m all about buttery, rich, chocolatey things. Like….brownies. Or…brownies in pie. Or funfetti gooey bars.

But can you imagine what it would be like if you couldn’t just grab any old cookie at a party? I cannot imagine what it’s like to have food allergies.

One of my daughters little friends is allergic to dairy. For a baker…that’s kind of catastrophic, right? I mean all the good things have butter in them. Especially cookies!

So when my daughter has her friend over, I always try and make some sort of treat she can have.

FYI, my house is known as the “treat house”. Send your kids to me and I’ll send ’em home sugared up. With a bag for you!

That’s how these dairy-free chocolate chip cookies were born.

I pretty much substituted oil for butter in one of my favorite cookie recipes. I added brown sugar because I just love brown sugar in cookies.

These cookies were really good – even for the butter lovers. They were chewy and dense, like a cookie should be…just without any dairy!

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Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

Servings 3 Dozen

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and/or silpat baking liners.
• Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir and set aside.
• Stir together oil and sugars.
• Turn mixer (with butter mixture bowl attached) on low. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing completely. Mix in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir to combine.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls prepared cookie sheets. Bake for 8-9 minutes (mine were one tablespoon sized balls and cooked in about 8 minutes). Let cool for 5 minutes, and then remove from pans to cool completely.

I hope you enjoy them, and I hope you’ll come visit me sometime at Crazy for Crust. I’ll talk your ear off and ply you with sugar.

Get well soon Katrina!

The post Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

I’m Meaghan. I blog over at the decorated cookie. I have a book out, too. It’s called Sugarlicious: 50 Cute and Clever Treats for Every Occasion.

One of my all-time favorite decorating tools is the edible writer. I own dozens, hundreds, jillions!! But luckily, you only need one to make these. Just one, black edible writer (also known as a food coloring pen). You should be able to find the edible writer in the craft store, but find all you need to know about edible writers and where to find them HERE.

 To make simple Halloween cookies

You will need:*

cookie dough

circle cookie cutter

white rolled fondant

black edible writer

frosting or icing

*You may use any size circle cookie cutter you prefer. You may also use any of your favorite recipes for cut-out cookies. (This one is my never-fail, go-to recipe.) Buy white, rolled fondant at the craft store, or, make your own. Instead of fondant, you may also prepare royal icing, tint it white and flood the cookie with the icing. Just be sure to let it dry VERY well, overnight at least. The frosting is to adhere the fondant to the cookie, so use any of your favorite recipes or even store-bought.

step one: prepare your cookies

Prepare cookie dough according to the recipe, chill, roll out, cut out circles and bake as instructed. Let cool completely.

step two: prepare your fondant

On a surface dusted with confectioner’s sugar to prevent sticking, briefly knead then roll out the fondant about 1/4-inch thick. Cut out circles using the same cutter you used for the cookies.

step three: attach the fondant

Spread a thin layer of frosting on a cookie, but don’t go quite to the edge. Place a fondant circle on top and gently press with your palm and smooth with your fingers.

step four: decorate!

Use the edible writer to draw your designs.

Here are some close-ups of the designs I made:

Get well, Katrina!! We miss you!!

Love, Meaghan

The post Halloween Cookies appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

It is now officially fall, so pumpkin is officially acceptable. I am a little slow to get on board this year though.  I am all for things with a little bit of a pumpkin spice, but I haven’t opened a can of pumpkin yet!  I know you come to In Katrina’s Kitchen for the sweets, so I am here to please!  I made pumpkin spiced Rice Krispie treats and I added frosting.  Thus “cake” in the name.   I am pretty sure these would be Katrina approved!

These Rice Krispie treats are flavored with a little pumpkin muffin mix.  You can use whatever mix you can find in the store; cookies, cake, muffins, pudding.  Anything that is powdered will work perfectly, and give that hint of flavor you are looking for.  Layered with a little bit of cream cheese frosting, and you have the perfect fall dessert that comes together in 20 minutes, without having to turn on the oven.

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Pumpkin Cake Rice Krispies Trats

Ingredients

• Krispie Treats
• 1 10 oz package marshmallows (about 40)
• 3 Tbls butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispie cereal
• 1/2 cup pumpkin muffin mix
•  
• Frosting
• 2 Tbls butter
• 2 oz cream cheese
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

• Prepare a 15x11 inch jelly roll pan with nonstick spray.
• Melt butter in a large microwave safe bowl.  Add marshmallows, stirring to coat.  Microwave for 1 minute.  Remove and stir until smooth.  You can heat for an additional 30 seconds if needed.  Stir in pumpkin muffin mix.  Add cereal, and stir to coat.  Press mixture firmly into the jelly roll pan.
• Meanwhile, prepare the frosting.  In a bowl mix together butter and cream cheese until well combined.  Stir in powdered sugar, and mix until fluffy.  Mix in vanilla.
• Cut the Rice Krispie treats down the center of the pan.  Smooth frosting over 1/2 of the treats.  Fold over the unfrosted half to make a "sandwich".  Allow to set up for about an hour before slicing.

The post Pumpkin Cake Krispie Treats appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

Let me begin by introducing myself! I’m Betsy of JavaCupcake.com – a blog all about recipes for the inspired home baker! I currently live in Bavaria, Germany, with my husband (who is currently deployed to Afghanistan), my teenage daughter, Emily, and my toddler son, Matthew.  Yup… that’s a lot to juggle, I know! On my blog, I share recipes that include everything from cupcakes and cakes to cookies, pies and even a few dinner recipes!

If you want to see more of what I do, visit my blog, JavaCupcake.com, or you can find me on Facebook, Pinterest or Instagram!

A friend picked about 50lbs of peaches and gave me half.  WOAH, that’s a lot of peaches! I knew I had to make something amazing with these mini, white, tart peaches… so I made a pie!

This peach crumble pie has a flaky crust, is packed full of tart white peaches, is loaded with cinnamon flavor and topped with a buttery crumble.

It’s the perfect Fall treat… heck, it’s perfect for any time of the year!

Thanks to Katrina for having me on her blog and thanks to Christi from Love from the Oven for organizing all these fabulous guest posts while Katrina recovers.

Wishing you a smooth, painless recovery, Katrina! GET WELL SOON!!

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Peach Crumble Pie

Servings 2 Pies

Ingredients

• Pie Crust from Pioneer Woman
• https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/p-p-p-pie_crust_and_its_p-p-p-perfect/
• 2 deep dish pie pans
• Peach Filling
• 9- 9 ½ lbs of fresh peaches peeled, cored and sliced
• Zest and juice of 1 large lemon
• 1 cup light brown sugar loose
• ½ granulated sugar
• 1 ½ Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp ground nutmeg
• ¾ tsp ground cloves
• ¾ tsp all spice
• ¾ tsp ground ginger
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• Crumble Topping
• 1 cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup unsalted butter cold & cubed
• 2 tsps ground cinnamon

Instructions

• Pie Crust
• Prepare the pie crusts while the peach filling is setting.
• Follow the instructions from the Pioneer Woman (https://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/p-p-p-pie_crust_and_its_p-p-p-perfect/) – EXCEPT when she tells you to separate the dough into three balls.  Make only TWO even balls. One for each pie that this recipe makes.
• Peach Filling
• Peel, slice and pit the peaches and place them into a large bowl.
• Pour the lemon juice and zest over the peaches and gently stir with a rubber spatula to combine.
• Sprinkle the sugars and spices over the peaches and stir gently to combine.
• Add the flour and stir until covered.
• Set aside for 30-60 minutes for the flavors to combine together and for the mixture to get juicy.
• Prepare the pie crust and crumble topping during this time.
• Crumble Topping
• Toss together the sugar, flour and oats.
• Add the cold cubed butter and use a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the mixture until large balls of butter remain.
• Assembly
• Press the pie crust into the pie plate and fold the edges under and crimp.  Repeat with second crust.
• Scoop 5-6 cups of peach filling into each crust or until the peaches have just reached the top of the crust.
• Sprinkle half the crumble topping over the peaches until evenly covered.
• Bake
• Preheat oven to 375 F degrees and position the rack in the center of the oven.
• Place the prepared pie on a baking sheet.
• Bake pie for 60-75 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.
• Cool on a wire rack completely before cutting.
• Serve with vanilla ice cream.

The post Peach Crumble Pie appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

Have y’all been camping before? My husband and I just took our kids for the first time this past August. And actually, it was MY first time, too. (Which is crazy considering my father is a nature photographer, and growing up our summers were always filled with road trips to the national parks. My idea of camping was staying in a log cabin!) But friends, we had so much fun. Took us three days to wash off all the dirt, but worth it! Spending time near the water, seeing deer and lizards, and being unplugged from electronics was so therapeutic. And, of course, no camping trip would be complete without S’mores.

So, I know it’s Fall now. And it’s the rainy season. And ya, nobody’s going camping anymore. But who says S’mores have to be relegated to camping? And since Halloween is around the corner, these bars are perfect for any left-over candy you might have!

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Kit-Kat S'mores Bars

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 50 minutes minutes

Servings 9 -16 bars

Ingredients

• • 1 stick unsalted butter
• • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• • 1 large egg
• • 1 teaspoon vanilla
• • 5 full sheets graham crackers crushed
• • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• • 1/4 teaspoon salt
• • 1 teaspoon baking powder
• • 16 miniature Kit-Kat bars crushed
• • 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat an 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the sugar and butter together until smooth and creamy. Add in the egg and vanilla until incorporated. Add in the graham crackers, flour, salt, and baking powered until combined. (Dough will be sticky.)
• Coat the back of a spatula with nonstick spray; spread half of the dough into the pan evenly. Sprinkle the Kit-Kat pieces over the dough, followed by the marshmallows. Flatten pieces of the remaining dough and place them on top of the marshmallows.
• Baked for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Let bars cool slightly before cutting and enjoy!

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I couldn’t be more pleased to be here, but let’s be honest, the reason isn’t really a fun one. While Katrina is working on feeling better I’ve worked on a post for you to enjoy while she’s getting some rest. Katrina – if we were neighbors this is what I’s be bringing over to you to help in your recovery. Muffins make everyone feel better. Get better soon because we all miss you!

So who am I? Well I’m Melissa from over at Bless this Mess. I’m a photographer, recipe developer, Urban homesteader,  momma and general lover of all things delicious. My blog, Bless this Mess, is an honest picture of a happy small town life. You’ll find posts about raising backyard chickens, remodeling our house while living in the mess and lots and lots of family friendly recipes, dessert included.

Zucchini Banana Muffins are just what the doctor ordered when you are in need of a little gift to take to a friend, an after school snack, or something to go with scrambled eggs in the morning (or for dinner!). These muffins are light, fluffy, and moist. Plus, when you are combining America’s two favorite quick breads you are bound to win. Now you no longer have to pick a favorite; they come together!

I hope you enjoy the recipe and be sure to come over and say hello!

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Zucchini Banana Muffins

Servings 24 Muffins

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 medium ripe bananas mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease 2 12-cup muffins tins pans. Set aside.
• In a large bowl combing the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to combine.
• In another medium bowl combine the eggs, sugar, oil, applesauce, and bananas. Stir until well combined.
• Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just incorporated. Don't over mix at this point of the batter will get tough. Add the shredded zucchini and gently fold it into the batter. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pans and bake for 18-24 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, remove from the pan, and then let it cool some on a wire rack before serving. Store in an airtight container.

And if you enjoyed this recipe, here are a few more from my blog that you might also like!

1. Chocolate White Chocolate Chip Cookies with M&M’s – my husband’s all time favorite cookie with a fall twist
2. No-bake Chocolate, Peanut Butter, and Pretzel Granola Bars – the best homemade granola bar on the block
3. The BEST Caramel Dip – This recipe is perfectly smooth caramel for dipping apples or pretzels. It’s surprisingly easy to make and turns out great! I make this for party after party in the fall. It’s definitely one of my favorite recipes!

Thanks so much for letting me entertain you while the boss is out and I hope you enjoy these recipes! Have a great day.

And I’ve got to give Kristi from Love from the Oven a big thank you. She’s behind the scenes getting posts organized and I wouldn’t be here without here. She is a great friend indeed! Thanks Kristi!

The post Zucchini Banana Muffins appeared first on In Katrinas Kitchen.

If you’ve never met Katrina in real life, let me assure you she is just as sweet and kind as you would imagine – probably even more than you could imagine! She is a true gem and I feel lucky to call her a friend and colleague.

(Can you tell I’m a sappy emotional pregnant woman?? Sorry!!)

Let’s talk about these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars for a moment. Chewy, chocolatey and packed with pumpkin flavor – these hearty granola bars are perfect for brown bag lunches, stashing in your car or serving as an after school snack.

They usually don’t last long around our house but they will keep for up to a week stored in a resealable plastic bag in the refrigerator.

Thank you again for having me and I hope you swing by and say hello over at The Lemon Bowl sometime!

(more…)

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Holy sweetness!

I don’t know about you, but I’m in love with a good old fashioned pecan praline. If you’ve never had one before (travel to the south and grab one or make one of your own!), it is basically caramelized and crystalized sugar candy with pecans throughout. The sweetness is heavenly and the soft pecans inside make the flavor last in your mouth.

It’s only natural to shift from candy to ice cream, right? You see cookies & cream, moose tracks and even candy cane ice cream! Pecan praline ice cream is bound to show up at your local grocery store any second.

I will warn you, this recipe is über sweet and lives up to its candy name. A little bit goes a long way, but believe me, it will satisfy any sweet tooth…guaranteed. And while I tried my best to make this ice cream a little healthier (since that’s what I do!), you can’t stray from the sugar. It’s just what a praline is!

The caramelized praline chunks throughout the caramelized ice cream is one you can’t deny your taste buds. And even though we’re in the beginnings of autumn, ice cream is still very much a part of our lives in the south. Plus, the caramel reminds me of autumn and brings that crisp cool feeling to my mouth.

You know you want some!

I hope you enjoy this ice cream and come visit me at Chocolate & Carrots for some healthier sweets!

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Pecan Praline Ice Cream

Ingredients

• Ice Cream Custard
• 2 cups 2% milk divided
• 5 large egg yolks
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup half & half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pecan Praline Mix-in
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions

• First, we'll make the ice cream custard. First prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and a little water. Place a smaller bowl in the ice and pour 1 cup of the 2% milk into the smaller bowl. Place a fine mesh strainer on top and set aside.
• Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl and set aside.
• Spread the sugar in the bottom of your saucepan over medium-high heat. Let it sit on the heat until the sides begin to melt. Slowly start stirring until the sugar is dissolved and its caramel in color. Once caramelized, remove from heat and stir in the butter and salt. Stir until the butter is melted. Gradually whisk in the half & half. Note: If the caramel starts to harden, place back on low heat and stir until melted again. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of 2% milk.
• While whisking the egg yolks, slowly pour some of the warm caramel mixture over the yolks. Pour the warmed egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan, stirring constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and reads 160-170°F
• Pour the custard through the strainer into the milk over the prepared ice bath.
• Stir in the vanilla and stir until the mixture has cooled down enough to refrigerate safely.
• Chill in the fridge for 6 hours or until chilled.
• While the custard is chilling, line a baking sheet with a silpat mat and set aside. Now, you'll prepare your pecan praline mix-in by spread the sugar evenly in the bottom of a saucepan over medium heat. Let it sit on the heat until the sides begin to melt. Slowly start stirring until the sugar is dissolved and turns caramel in color. This will happen quickly.  Remove from the heat, quickly stir in the pecans and pour onto the prepared baking sheet. Lift the baking sheet up and tilt to the sides to spread the caramel into a thin layer. Set aside to harden.
• Freeze the custard with your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions.
• While the ice cream is churning, crumble the hardened pecan praline into small pieces (I put them under parchment paper and used a hammer).
• Once the ice cream is frozen, spread 1/3 of the ice cream into a freezer safe container. Sprinkle 1/2 of the pecan pralines over the top. Spread the next third of the ice cream on top. Sprinkle the remaining praline on top. Spread the remaining ice cream on top.
• Freeze until firm.

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