TWD: Carrot Spice Muffins

I love baking with vegetables, especially carrots! These muffins are filled with carrots, raisins, coconut, and yummy spices. We loved them and will definitely make them again!

Thanks to Nancy of The Dogs Eat the Crumbs for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at her blog.

Cherry Limeade Pound Cake

This is one of the best cakes I have ever had! It is so moist and extremely delicious! All my family could say while eating it was "Mmmmmmmmmm"! You MUST make this cake ASAP!!!

Cherry Limeade Pound Cake
Recipe from RecipeGirl

CAKE:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
3 cups granulated white sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest
5 large eggs
3/4 cup Cherry 7-Up (*see tips below)
2 cups pitted and quartered fresh sweet cherries

GLAZE:
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 Tablespoons Cherry 7-Up
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest

Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease and flour a 12-cup bundt cake or tube pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt

3. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together butter and sugar. Add lime zest. Beat in eggs one at a time, until each is well incorporated. Mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture at a time, alternating with the 7-Up. Stir in cherries.

4. Scoop batter into the prepared pan. Tap the pan on the counter several times to rid the batter of any air bubbles. Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until sharp, thin knife inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 20 minutes, then place a serving plate over the top and gently flip over. Give the bottom of the pan a few taps if you need to loosen the cake from the pan. Let cake cool completely on the serving platter before topping with the glaze.

5. Prepare glaze: in a medium bowl, whisk together the glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake.

Tips:


*If you only have regular 7-Up, Sprite, or even generic lemon-lime soda on hand, go ahead and use that- but add in a splash of maraschino cherry juice to make it a cherry flavored soda- and make sure it still comes out to 3/4 cup. For the glaze, use 1 1/2 Tablespoons of soda + 1/2 Tablespoon juice.

BLT Pasta Salad

This wonderful pasta salad can be a quick main dish, a delicious side dish, or a great potluck/BBQ dish. We loved it!

BLT Pasta Salad

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

1 (12 oz) box shell pasta, cooked and drained
1 lb bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 bunch green onions, diced
3 large tomatoes, chopped
4 celery stalks, diced
1 1/2 cups mayo
1 TBSP vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Mix everything together in a large bowl; refrigerate until needed.

TWD: Cocoa Almond Meringues

Chocolatey, chewy, delicious!

Thanks to Mike of Ugly Food for an Ugly Dude for hosting this week. The recipe can be found at his blog.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies

Chocolate chip cookie dough on top of a brownie.... is there anything better?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Brownies
Recipe from Brown Eyed Baker

For the Brownie:
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups light brown sugar
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour

For the Cookie Dough:
¾ cup unsalted butter
¾ cup light brown sugar
¾ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups all-purpose flour
1½ cups mini chocolate chips

1. Prepare the Brownies: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a 9×13-inch pan with foil, with enough to hang over all four sides. Butter the foil. In a medium glass bowl, melt the chocolate in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until melted and smooth. Set aside to cool slightly. In a large mixing bowl, mix the butter and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract, scraping the bowl as needed. Mix in the melted chocolate until combined. Reduce the speed to low, add the flour and mix just until combined (don’t over-mix). Spread the batter into the prepared pan. Bake 25 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool completely.

2. Prepare the Cookie Dough: In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to combine the butter and both sugars. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour just until combined. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.

3. Spread the cookie dough over the cooled brownies. Refrigerate until the dough is firm, about an hour. Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter (my favorite way to slice brownies!) to cut the brownies. Store the brownies in an airtight container at cool room temperature or in the refrigerator.