How Sweet It Is

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If you were to only know me through reading my blog and recipes you may think that I only cook and eat healthy veggie packed meals.  

False.

I love to bake desserts - I've never met a cookie, or cake, or muffin that I haven't wanted to bake. 

Some people love to bake from scratch with a toddler and kuddos to you my friends!  Not me.  But I do still like to bake (and even bake with Teddy).  What a conundrum you say!  

Well, I'm going to share my baking secret with you.  Shhhhhhhh!

I use boxed starters and doctor them up.  That's right ... Very Semi-Homemade with Sandra Lee. 

My theory is, if someone has already measured out the main ingredients in a box for me all the better, faster, and easier to clean.  Just add in a little bit of extra love and fluff and no one is any the wiser!

Whether it's muffins, cakes, or cookies, you can make a boxed mix taste home made any day of the week. 

Just follow my lead and you can bring the best GF/DF dessert to your next dinner party or be the talk of the bake sale.  No one has to know you didn't slave away all day. 

Go ahead, take the credit, you sneaky thing you!  :-)

PS - you might sense a theme here of chocolate

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE CHIP BROWNIES

INGREDIENTS

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  • Betty Crocker Gluten Free Brownie Mix or similar (we usually use Trader Joe's)
  • Dairy free butter substitute melted and cooled - Earth Balance is my preference for baking
  • 1C dairy free chocolate chips - Trader Joe's
  • Chocolate Ripple milk or other non dairy milk 
  • 1-2 Tbsp coco powder

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oven according to box and spray pan with non stick spray
  2. If water or milk is called for substitute chocolate non dairy milk and combine with mix, eggs, and "butter" according to box
  3. Once batter is properly blended add in 1 Tbsp of coco powder.  This will give another dimension of rich chocolate-ness to the brownies. 
  4. The batter may become thick.  Add in a touch of non dairy milk and blend smooth until original consistency is achieved.
  5. Add in chocolate chips to batter and mix together.  You do not have add in the full 1C but it is highly advisable :)
  6. Bake according to the directions on the box, slightly less if you like fudgy, gooey brownies.
  7. Serve warm with ice cream or take to your next party and watch them disappear.

SNICKERDOODLE MINI MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

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  • King Arthur Flour Gluten Free Muffin Mix - yes this one specifically.  KAF is the only brand that makes a light fluffy muffin.  Kid tested. 
  • You will need: 1 muffin tin or 1 mini muffin tin
  • 6 Tbsp Earth Balance or other nondairy butter substitute + 1/2 C extra for later
  • 1C Originial Ripple milk or other nondairy milk 
  • 3 Eggs
  • Cinnamon
  • Cinnamon-Sugar Blend (see below)

DIRECTIONS

Tiny hands, mini muffins, a lot of cinnamon and sugar.

Tiny hands, mini muffins, a lot of cinnamon and sugar.

Part 1. Baking

  1. Preheat oven to 375 and spray muffin tins with nonstick spray
  2. Cinnamon-Sugar Mix: combine 1/2 C sugar with 2 Tbsp cinnamon and mix well.  Set aside
  3. Whisk together the melted buttler, milk, and eggs.
  4. Add in the muffin mix and a dash or 2 of cinnamon.
  5. Let sit for 10 minutes - important step
  6. Fill muffin tins (either normal or mini) almost full.  
  7. Bake normal size for 20 minutes and minis for 12 minutes.
  8. Let cool 10-15 before next steps.

Part 2. Snickerdoodling - great part for kids!

Teddy failed, gloriously, at step 5.

Teddy failed, gloriously, at step 5.

  1. melt 1/4 C butter in container large enough for muffin top.
  2. Place butter and cinnamon/sugar mix next to each other with a plate or rack close by.
  3. Gently dip the top of the muffin in the butter, do no soak, just lightly cover the top with butter to make it sticky.
  4. Roll the top of the muffin in the cinnamon sugar mix so the muffin top is coated in the mix.
  5. Challenge: try to not eat them all as you are topping them.

OLD SCHOOL STYLE NO BAKE COOKIES

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INGREDIENTS

  • 1/2 C non-dairy butter
  • 1 1/2 - 2 C granulated sugar
  • 1/2 C non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/2 - 3/4 C creamy peanut butter (sadly not natural peanut butter)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 - 4 C quick-cooking oats
  • Items needed: cookie scoop, cookie sheets

DIRECTIONS

  1. Making these cookies moves fast so before getting started, make sure to gather all of your ingredients and measure everything out. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

  2. Combine the butter, sugar, milk, and unsweetened cocoa powder in a medium sized saucepan and heat over medium heat, making sure to stir often until the butter is melted and everything is well combined.

  3. Once mixture is at a rolling boil allow to boil for 60 seconds and stir continuously.  Set a timer for this - do not over cook.

  4. Remove from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter and vanilla extract until fully combined. Stir in the oats and mix until all of the oats are coated with the mixture and everything is well combined.

  5. Drop spoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheets (I like to use a 2 tablespoon cookie scoop). Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes, serve, and enjoy!

MISSISSIPPI MUD S'MORES FUDGE PIE
(yes it is that decadent)
Adapted from Southern Living

obviously not my photo, every time we make it we cut into it and mangle it before the camera comes out :-)   (cred: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mississippi-mud-smores-pie) 

obviously not my photo, every time we make it we cut into it and mangle it before the camera comes out :-)   (cred: https://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mississippi-mud-smores-pie) 

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups gluten free graham cracker crumbs - Try Pamela's or Kinnikinnick 
  • 1/2 cup Earth Balance, melted
  • 1/4 cups sugar, divided
  • 3/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
  • **CHEAT** Betty Crocker Gluten Free Chocolate Cake Mix (or other gluten free mix you enjoy)
  • 3 cups regular marshmallows, cut into halves and quarters
  • 2 cups miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS

  1. Stir together first 2 ingredients and 1/4 cup sugar; press on bottom and 2 inches up sides of a shiny 9-inch springform pan. Sprinkle pecans over crust.
  2. Make chocolate cake according to directions on box - replacing butter and milk with dairy free options if desired. 
  3. Pour batter into crust in springform pan.
  4. Bake until cake is moist baked, slightly under the normal bake time.  Remove from oven and cool for 20 minutes +
  5. Preheat broiler with oven rack on lowest level from heat.
  6. Place cake (in pan) on a cookie sheet.
  7. Toss together both marshmallows; mound on pie, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge.
  8. Broil 30 seconds to 1 minute or until marshmallows are golden brown.
  9. Remove from oven, and immediately remove sides of pan.
  10. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.
  11. Eat.  It.  All.