Fudgsicles!

Guess what?! I created a recipe for Fudgsicles. I think it's pretty smart too - because the reason these pops have the real consistency of Fudgsicles, is because of the bananas! ALSO, don't judge this recipe until you've tried it! My sisters love it because they love Fudgsicles, but they are trying to eat healthy, so this way they can have both!!

Ingredients:

·        4 Bananas

·        1 ½ cup Milk

·        4-6 tbsp cocoa powder

·        ½ tsp Cloves powder

·        ½ tsp cinnamon

·        ½ cup of shredded coconut

 

Blend Ingredients in food processor until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds. If you wish, add small pieces of marshmallow to Popsicle molds. Freeze overnight. To take popsicles out of the mold, run them under hot water so that the Popsicle comes out easily.  Enjoy!

Summer Fruit Pops!

Here is a fantastic recipe for delicious, healthy, and fun popsicles! PLUS, I made this recipe myself (AND of course I've tested it!).

Ingredients:

·        4-5 cups of strawberries

·        2 carrots (chopped and steamed)

·        The juice of 2 Oranges

·        ¾ cup of fruit juice (berry, peach, etc.)

 

Blend Ingredients in food processor until smooth. Pour into Popsicle molds.

Freeze overnight. To take popsicles out of the mold, run them under hot water so that the Popsicle comes out easily. Enjoy!

 

 

 

My version of a McDonalds Bacon'n'Egg Bagel Sandwich

So, I hate to say this, but there is one food item at McDonalds that I crave from time to time. It is the Bacon'n'Egg Bagel Sandwich. So instead of putting McDonalds food through my body, I decided to invent my own version that is basically the same, but a lot more healthy.

Here is my version of a McDonalds Bacon'n'Egg sandwich:

Ingredients:
-One Bagel (I usually use a cheese bagel - quite tasty!)
-2-3 Slices of Cheddar Cheese
-A thin slice of Ham (or 2-3 pieces of bacon)
-One Egg, Scrambled
-Hollandaise Sauce (Mayo will work just fine if you don't have hollandaise sauce)

The five steps I use to make this:

1. Toast your Bagel
2. Scramble your egg
3. Put egg on toasted Bagel
4. Add cheese, Ham, and sauce.
5.EAT!

This is one of my favourite Breakfasts/Lunches.
Hope you enjoyed it too! Don't forget to send me your requests for recipes!

~A

Request for: Mickey Mouse Recipes

Here is an email I got from Abby:

Hi Anna,

I was wondering if you could make a recipe to do with Mickey mouse, ever since my trip to Disneyland, I've loved Mickey mouse. I think it would be cute to bake something Mickey mouse related.

Your fan,

Abby :)

 

My reply:

 

Hey Abby!

Thanks for your request! Here are some ideas I thought of to make an easy Mickey Mouse Cake.
You can use the vanilla cupcake recipe that I mentioned below, and double it. But, instead of making cupcakes with it, you could try making one bigger round circle, and then two small circles. That will be the outline of Mickey's face. After that, I suggest that you go online, and look at different pictures of Mickey, and get the appropriate icing colours to make his face on the cake, and there you have it!

 

 

 

 Another neat Mickey Mouse treat, is the Mickey Mouse cupcakes that are from the Disney website, except they don't have a recipe for the actual cupcakes, they only have the directions for decorating. So, I'm giving you a recipe that I found on Food.com a while back, that is one of the best recipes I have used. The cupcakes are not very sweet, which makes the icing taste very nice with the cupcakes. Please note that I have slightly tweaked a bit of the wording, so it doesn't match up exactly to the recipe on the website. For instance, the recipe on the website says that the yield is 20-25 cupcakes, but whenever I use this recipe, it only makes 12. For icing, I would suggest a butter icing, but what ever type of icing you use, should be delicious.
 

 You'll need:

• Batch of cupcakes (I've put the recipe below)
• Frosting
• Chocolate Sandwich cookies, regular size and mini size

Decorating Instructions:

1. Frost the cupcakes.

2. Split each cookie into halves (you'll need a total of six regular cookies and twelve mini cookies to decorate a dozen cupcakes).

3. Push one half of a regular cookie (with the unfrosted side facing forward) halfway down into the center of a cupcake to create the top of the mouse head. For ears, set a pair of mini cookie halves (again, unfrosted sides facing forward) right behind and to the sides of the head. This time press the cookies into the frosting just far enough to hold them in place.

4. Use the remaining cookie halves to decorate the rest of the cupcakes.

Simple Vanilla Cupcake Recipe

 Ingredients:

Yield:
12
 
2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar (if you like your cupcakes very sweet, add a little more.)
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Directions:

1

preheat oven to 375 F; line muffin cups with papers (or grease muffin tins).

2

cream butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.

3

add flour (mixed with baking powder and salt) alternating with milk beat well; stir in vanilla.

4

divide evenly among pans and bake for 18 minutes. Let cool in pans.

 
So Abby, I hope these recipes and tips satisfy your request, and please write again soon, to tell me about your other requests and ideas.

Sincerely,
Anna
 
Again, everyone would be very welcome to write me with your requests and questions... I'll be happy to answer! Write to me at: Letscookwithanna@gmail.com
 

 

 

 

 

Lets Do Pancakes!

Here's a simple pancake recipe that I grew up with. It's inspired from The Joy Of Cooking cookbook, and I'll continue to use it for a long time.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 tablesppons sugar
1 3/4 baking powder
1 tsp. salt
In a different bowl
1 1/2 cups milk
3 tablesppons butter, melted
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

Griddle Directions:
Mix liquid ingredients quickely into the dry ingredients. When combined, heat up your greased griddle, and pour out pankcakes 1 inch apart from a 1/4 cup measuring cup. When starting to look dryish and bubbling flip over until middle loks cooked. Repeat until batter is used up.

Pan Directions:
In a large greased frying pan, put over medium-low heat. Pour pancakes from 1/4 cup measuring cup 1 inch apart. Flip over when looking dryish and bubbly.

MAKE IT FUN!
For a different taste, try dropping a couple blueberrys on pankcakes after pouring!

MAKE IT HEATHLY!
Try adding 1/4 cup ground flaxseed to your batter to health things up a bit!

Now for a commercial break of some unhealthy but DELICIOUS FOOD!!

There. I've said it. I'm going to do a post that has UN-heathly food in it. Imagine that. Oh well, I am sure you won't mind when you taste this delicious recipe. Its called: Caramel Apples Covered in wonderfullness! Here's the recipe.

 

 

For the best Caramel Apples EVER, here is what you'll need

 

-9 of your favourite type of apples (red, green, or the mixed kind)

 

-Pot of Caramel Sauce (see recipe below)

 

Now, choose a flavour!

 

- 2 cups of Wonka Nerds

 

- 2 cups of finely chopped peanuts

 

-2 cups of sliced almonds, roasted or not roasted

-2 cups chippit skor bits

 

 

Here's the recipe for the caramel dipping sauce (this recipe is inspired by the canadian living magazine):

 

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter 
• 1 can (300 mL) sweetened condensed milk 
• 2/3 cup corn syrup 
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 2 tsp vanilla 

 In large saucepan, melt together granulated and brown sugars, butter, condensed milk, corn syrup and salt, stirring. Bring to boil over medium-high heat, stirring and making sure to stir around bottom edge of pot to prevent caramel from scorching.
 
Reduce heat to medium-low; boil, stirring often, for 18 to 20 minutes or until thickened, deep caramel colour and 1 tsp (5 mL) dropped into cold water forms soft pliable ball (234-236°F/112-113°C on candy thermometer). Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla. Let cool for 5 minutes.
 
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil; grease foil and set aside.
 
Place your topping(s) in shallow dish(s); set aside.
 
Holding apple by stick, swirl all but top of each apple in caramel, allowing excess to drip back into saucepan. Roll bottom half in topping(s). Place on prepared baking pan with foil over top; refrigerate until caramel is set, about 15 minutes.

Enjoy this yummy treat!

My favourite topping is: You guessed it, the nerd topping. I just love this treat.

 

By the way, don't worry, my next post WILL be able breakfast foods again!

 

Starting off with...BREAKFAST!

Lets kick off this blog by starting with breakfast foods! Right now I'll show you a super easy recipe for a Fresh Fruit Smoothie. This will brighten your morning any day!

Food items you'll need:

• 1 cup greek or regular (I like to use greek) yogurt fruit flavour of your choosing (ex. strawberry or blueberry)
• 1 cup of frozen or fresh mixed berries
• 1/2 a banana
• 1 tbsp honey

To make it healthy and filling:
Look, we all know that sometimes we really don't feel like making our breakfast heathly and full of protein. We also know that we usually don't end up having the best morning if we weren't filled up at breakfast. Here is what to add to the smoothie if you feel like adding some protein to fill 'er up! 

• 2 tbsp Hemphearts (you can usually buy bags of this at your local healthfood store. Don't worry it's NOT made of hearts. This is kind of like a grain, but it's GREAT in smoothies. You don't even notice it!)
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (you can also buy this at the local healthfood store)

Other items you'll need:

• 1 Blender or Food processer (I usually use my magic bullet blender)
• Tall glass OR if you are taking this smoothie to go, you'll need a thermos or portable travelling cup.
• spatula

Step by Step Instructions:

1. Put your yogurt in blender/food processer. If your berries are frozen, microwave them on defrost setting for 1 minute. Or if you don't have a microwave, let sit out for a while until there is juice melting from them.
2. Add your berries to the yogurt, as well as your half of a banana and 1 tbsp honey.
3. Blend everything until smooth. When smooth, take your tall glass or travelling cup and spatula and carefully pour all of smoothie into glass, using the spatula to take out excess smoothie on sides of blender/food proscesser. Eat (or drink. or whatever you call it! :)  

And there you go. For fun and different ideas, try adding 1/2 cup canned peaches or another soft fruit you enjoy!