Butter Pecan Cream Cheese Dip

My Butter Pecan Cream Cheese Dip recipe is sponsored by Food Should Taste Good, however the opinions expressed herein are those of Life Tastes Good. 

Butter Pecan Cream Cheese Dip with Harvest Pumpkin Tortilla Chips is like eating a creamy Pumpkin Pecan Pie, only better, because this sweet treat is super easy to make!

Twix Milkshake

Thank you to Mars Ice Cream for sponsoring this post. The opinions and text are all mine.

My Twix Milkshake is a rich, chocolaty, frozen treat perfect for National Ice Cream Month. It is very thick like a Frosty and full of TWIX® Ice Cream Minis. The TWIX® Ice Cream Minis add a touch of caramel for a delicious twist on a chocolate milkshake.

Caramel Crunch Snack Mix

Caramel Crunch Snack Mix is loaded with Winter Spice Mixed Nuts and pretzels all covered in a crunchy, rich caramel coating. It is an addicting snack mix that will be a big hit at holiday parties and makes a great gift everyone will love!

Apple Chips with Salted Caramel

Apple Chips with Salted Caramel dipping sauce is a tasty, healthy snack you can enjoy any time of day! It's easy to make and tastes great too!! Now THAT's a great combo!!

Praline-Pumpkin Mousse Cornucopias

Praline-Pumpkin Mousse Cornucopias make an impressive dessert that is easier to pull off than you might think!

This month allrecipes.com partnered with Campbell's. As an Allrecipes Allstar, I was tasked with making recipes using Cambell's products. There were several recipes from which to choose, such as Quick and Flavorful Veges, Moist and Savory Stuffing, Green Bean Casserole, and Ultra Creamy Mashed Potatoes. 

I used several of these for my Thanksgiving Feast, however the most intriguing recipe was the Praline-Pumpkin Mousse Cornucopias, so I saved the best for last! 

I have used puff pastry lots in the past, but I've never used it with a mold to make a shape before! I love how creative this is, and my wheels are turning trying to come up with some more shapes to make and fill!

Caramel Banana Cheesecake Shooters

I was experimenting in the kitchen today, and I created a yummy little treat I plan to make for Madison's college equestrian team.  They are competing in the first show of the season, and Madison was chosen as one of the riders for this show. We are so excited to go watch the team compete, and happy we are able to spoil them a little bit

Last year I purchased these little plastic push pop containers

to make transporting treats easier when attending the shows. These nifty push pops are perfect for layering cake and filling to create all sorts of delectable yummies! 

Because I've been on a caramel kick lately, I naturally came up with something to incorporate that flavor in the cake shooters.  I wanted to make a sort of caramel cheesecake, but I thought making a graham cracker crust would be a bit messy to eat out of the push pop, so I wondered if I could make a cake that tastes like a graham cracker.  allrecipes.com to the rescue once again. I went to the site and typed in graham cracker cake and up came this recipe... allrecipes.com Graham Cracker Cake  It had good reviews, so I decided to give it a go. I made the cake exactly as stated in the recipe, but I baked it in a 13x9" dish for about 35 minutes. The cake is really good and tastes just like a graham cracker- it is exactly what I wanted!

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients

2 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1 banana

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/3 cup whipped cream (I used Cool Whip)

Place cream cheese, sugar, banana. and lemon juice in a blender or a mixing bowl and mix until smooth (I prefer using a blender for this - it gets it very smooth). Fold in whipped cream until incorporated.  Give it a taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes. Then store in the fridge until ready to use.

Caramel Topping

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 1/4 cups heavy cream - warmed

salt to taste

In a heavy weight saucepan over medium heat, heat the sugar until it starts to melt and brown. This will take at least 5 minutes - maybe a little longer. Stir constantly so you don't burn the sugar (that would be bad). Once your sugar is starting to look a little brown and turning into crystallized chunks then you can add the butter. Keep stirring! Stir until you have a beautiful caramel colored smooth sauce. Be patient. It is worth the effort! Once you reach the smooth, caramel colored sauce remove the pan from the heat.  Be sure the cream is warmed all the way through. Add the cream about 1/4 cup at a time (be careful it will steam) and stir until well combined. Keep adding until all the cream is combined.  Salt to taste and enjoy the rich, smooth, creamy goodness. 

note: if the cream is not sufficiently warmed you may end up with chunks in your sauce. Not to fear - just put it back over mid-high heat and stir until all chunks are dissolved.

To make the cake shooters I used the push pop to cut cake rounds (if you don't have push pop containers you can make these in anything really and eat with a spoon). I whipped up some cheesecake filling and caramel topping.  Layer the ingredients as follows: 1 cake round, pipe in cheesecake filling, and drizzle caramel topping. Repeat until you fill the container. These are delicious right away, but pop these in the fridge overnight and enjoy them cold the next day - even better! Yummmm.

Next time I think I'll try using the graham cracker cake with a chocolate ganache and marshmallow meringue for a s'more shooter....

Mini Apple Donut Skewers with Salted Caramel Dipping Sauce

LOVE these little apple donuts and don't even get me started on the caramel sauce! Oh my goodness it is SO good!

Growing up I remember my mom being a big fan of caramel. I guess I get my caramel addiction from her.  If I have to have an addiction I'm glad it's to caramel! Thanks mom! I just need to make sure I get an extra workout in  to keep all this caramel from sticking

Mini Apple Donut Skewers with Salted Caramel Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon milk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour 

1 medium sized granny smith apple - peeled, cored, and chopped

short wooden skewers

Topping

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 24 mini-muffin cups.
2. Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the sour cream and milk, then mix in the baking soda, salt, and flour until just combined. Then fold in the apples pieces. Fill the prepared mini muffin cups about half full. I use a cookie scoop to measure out the batter.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until the tops are lightly golden, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. While muffins are baking, place 1/4 cup of melted butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Remove muffins from their cups, dip each muffin in the melted butter, and roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Let cool. Skewer 2-3 donuts on each wooden stick and serve with the caramel dipping sauce.

Caramel Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 1/4 cups heavy cream - warmed

salt to taste

In a heavy weight saucepan over medium heat, heat the sugar until it starts to melt and brown. This will take at least 5 minutes - maybe a little longer. Stir constantly so you don't burn the sugar (that would be bad). Once your sugar is starting to look a little brown and turning into crystallized chunks then you can add the butter. Keep stirring! Stir until you have a beautiful caramel colored smooth sauce. Be patient. It is worth the effort! Once you reach the smooth, caramel colored sauce remove the pan from the heat.  Be sure the cream is warmed all the way through. Add the cream about 1/4 cup at a time and stir until well combined. Keep adding until all the cream is combined.  Salt to taste and enjoy the rich, smooth, creamy goodness. 

note: if the cream is not sufficiently warmed you may end up with chunks in your sauce. Not to fear - just put it back over mid-high heat and stir until all chunks are dissolved.

My little buddy is 14 today. I'm told that is 72 in dog years. He definitely isn't as young as he used to be. He sleeps most of the day and is very cranky if he doesn't get fed exactly at 5:30. He's been in diapers for several months now and is using them more and more, but he still likes to romp around from time to time. ♥ him

Happy Birthday, Fluffy!

Helping daddy with the taxes

Almond Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

Recipe inspired by: allrecipes.com Almond Cupcake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting

I was having a caramel craving and went in search of a something I could make with everything I had on hand in my cupboard already when I found this recipe. I had never had 'salted caramel' anything, so I was intrigued by this recipe. I also like that the recipe only makes 12 cupcakes - much less time consuming than the traditional 24. I had everything I needed to make these little beauties, so I went to work!

The cupcakes turned out great! They are moist, delicious, and super airy and light - I like that! They actually taste like a Christmas cookie. To taste the cupcake alone you really get a strong almond taste, but with the addition of the salted caramel frosting you get sweet, rich, and nutty that pairs nicely to create a great flavor combination!

Of course, I changed up the recipe just a bit:

Cupcake

1.5 cups all purpose flour

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 eggs

1 vanilla bean, seeded (or you can use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)

1 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup whole milk

Caramel

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup unsalted butter

2 tablespoons light corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla (more to taste if you prefer)

1/4-1/2 cup heavy cream

1 pinch of salt

Icing

3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

2 cups confectioner's sugar
Caramel (reserve about a tablespoon or 2 for drizzling)

1/2 teaspoon sea salt (I used 1 teaspoon, but I suggest starting low and adding as needed to taste)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.

Starting with the cupcake ingredients, in a mixing bowl cream together 1 cup sugar and 1/2 cup softened butter until well blended. Beat in eggs one at a time until thoroughly combined. Stir in the vanilla bean seeds (or extract) and almond extract. Gradually beat in 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder and 1.5 cups all purpose flour. Mix in 3/4 cup whole milk until well blended. Scrape down sides as necessary to get everything combined nicely.  Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake liners to about 2/3 full and bake in the preheated oven about 20-25 minutes. When done, the tops will bounce back when lightly pressed.

While the cupcakes are baking, start on the caramel. Place 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 1teaspoon vanilla into a saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a boil; then reduce the heat and simmer until thickened about 3-5 minutes. Let cool until just warm to the touch. After cooling, add the cream a little at a time - mixing after each addition - until the caramel is the consistency of honey. I used about 1/4 cup of cream. Mix in a pinch of salt. Taste and adjust vanilla if needed. Let cool to room temperature.

For the icing, Combine 3/4 cup softened butter with 2 cups confectioner's sugar and at least a 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt in a mixing bowl (If you are using salted butter you can omit the salt). Beat with an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy. Slowly add the cooled caramel and mix in until the frosting is smooth. I reserved about a tablespoon of the caramel to drizzle over my iced cupcakes.  If piping the frosting, you may need to chill in the fridge for a bit to stiffen.

Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost as you like and enjoy!

Banana Cheesecake Donut with Caramel Sauce

  On a recent trip to a local restaurant we enjoyed a Fried Banana Cheesecake for dessert. Right away Madison and I decided we must duplicate it at home - it was so amazing!! She had a great idea to bake our donut muffin recipe in her fancy donut pan.  Then we'd cut them in half - hollow them out and fill them with a delicious banana cheesecake concoction.  Drizzle that with a homemade caramel sauce and it should be very close to the restaurant's dessert. Sounded like a plan to me!!  We set out to do just that and we were able to make a very tasty substitution of that yummy dessert! Be warned - it is dangerously good!

Donut

Ingredients

1/2 cup white sugar

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons milk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup all-purpose flour 

Topping

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions

Mix 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the sour cream and milk, then mix in the baking soda and flour until just combined. Fill each section of the donut pan, evenly, with the batter.  I had enough batter to fill each section about 1/2 way with batter to yield 3 donuts.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Spray fancy donut pan with cooking spray. I imagine you can make this in a cupcake pan as well if you don't want to run out and buy a fancy donut pan

Bake in the preheated oven until cooked through - about 20 minutes. Use a toothpick to test for doneness.

While donuts are baking, place 1/4 cup of melted butter in a bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of sugar with the cinnamon. Remove donut and dip each in the melted butter, and roll in the sugar-cinnamon mixture. Let cool.

Caramel Topping (make while donuts are baking)

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 cup sugar

1 1/4 cups heavy cream, heated

Directions

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is caramel brown in color. It is important to make sure the butter/sugar mixture is a dark brown caramel color. This will take some patience. Trust me it will start to brown just keep on stirring. The butter will separate from the sugar after it starts to brown and that is a good sign - you are almost there!  At that point lower the heat and continue stirring until it is a nice dark caramel color.  When you reach the beautiful caramel color then you can add the warmed heavy cream slowly - about 1/4 cup at a time - stirring constantly. Bring the mixture to boil (keep stirring) for about 3-5 minutes then remove from heat and let cool.

Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 banana

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/3 cup whipped cream (I used Cool Whip)

Directions

Place cream cheese, sugar, banana. and lemon juice in a blender or a mixing bowl and mix until smooth (I prefer using a blender for this - it gets it very smooth). Fold in whipped cream until incorporated.  Give it a taste and adjust flavors to your liking. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes. Then store in the fridge until ready to use.

Assemble

Take a cooled donut and slice it in half. I like to cut it on the diagonal - it looks nice

     

Now hollow out the center of each half being careful not to poke any holes in the donut. This next step is very important, so don't leave it out! This is when you gobble up all the donutty goodness you just scooped out of the center - yummmm (don't leave that part out!)

I like to pipe in the filling, but you can spoon it in - fill each half with the cheesecake filling

All that is left is to drizzle with some of the delicious caramel sauce. If the sauce has cooled too much be sure to warm it in the microwave just a little bit

Enjoy!