Carrot Patch Cupcakes  

 Ingredients

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour  

1 cup chopped pecans (leave these out when cooking with tiny tots, they will most likely turn up their tiny noses to them.)  

1 tablespoon Baking Powder (whatever you do, do NOT use soda, powder people, POWDER!)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

                                         3  eggs (please remove the belly buttons, it's just gross to leave them in! Proper name for all of you who are freaking out because you have never heard my term is "Chalazae". The white membrane like substance that attaches the yolk and the whites and the start of the baby chicken or umbilical cord (not really, just trying to gross you out so you never leave them in.) I had a bad experience as a child with a chalazae, which I will write about at the end of this post. Whatever you call them, just take em' out folks!) Here is a nasty picture of one, really do you want to eat it? Didn't think so. 

3/4 cup vegetable oil 

3/4 cup  sugar 

3/4 cup  brown sugar 

1/2 cup  applesauce or sour cream  

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3 cups finely shredded carrots

(use the fine side of the grater) No one wants to feel the carrot in their cupcake, not even my Mom who eats them raw for breakfast! I so did not get her eating habits. I believe in SUGAR, and hiding the veggies under it

Love the way the little people eat them- Frosting first!

Directions: Mix all the wet stuff and the sugars, then mix all the dry stuff in a separate bowl. Dump the wet stuff into the dry stuff and stir like crazy until the only chunks left are those from the carrots. Put into muffin liners (green or green checked are so cute for these happy little cupcakes) fill about 3/4 full and bake @ 350 for about 20 minutes. Mmmn I can smell the cinnamon and the nutmeg, it fills my entire house and almost covers up the dirty laundry stench that is drifting in from under the nearby laundry room door, almost, but it's still there dang it!

For the frosting

1 pkg (8 0z)  cream cheese, softened

                                     1 cup butter, (softened at room temp or microwaved oh so carefully for 30 sec intervals)

                                 1 pound  (4 cups) confectioners' sugar (the powdered white stuff for all you sillies that had to think about this, it's frosting, we're making frosting!)

4 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 

dash of salt 

                                3 Tbs heavy whipping cream                                       

                             Directions: Put the powdered sugar in a mixing bowl, then add the other ingredients and whip the heck out of it. (For like 4 min and 33 seconds until it is all fluffy and yummy!) Put it in a pastry bag (or ziplock for you novice bakers) 
and pipe it on the tops of your cute little cuppercakers. Sprinkle their heads with cinnamon and devour them! My serving size suggestion is like 6 mini's or 3 large, topped off with a big tall glass of milk of course! And because they have veggies, you can totally count them as a meal!

I brought a large pot that had carrots in it, and we let the kids pick them. I had simply dug them up with a large shovel from my garden. I planted them just for this reason, you could also plant them directly in the pot. Plan on about 3 months to plant and have them large enough to pick. I had my kids plant them and the seeds were simply sprinkled, and we did not thin them. This made it very interesting, because they were growing around each other and lots of crazy shapes too!

Because they were all so different, after we picked and washed them we told the children to pick a "tiny one" a Big one, a crazy one, a curly one, a straight one etc. then we put them in piles and categories. They loved this! They all got to take a bag of carrots home with them.

The children also got to take home small pots of carrots, they were instructed to keep watering them for 7 days and mark a carrot on the pot for each day they took care of their carrots. The poem read:  C is for this Carrot patch that grew from tiny seeds,
Soil, sun and water, is all it really needs.
So water it for one more week, that's just 7 days more,
And you'll grow carrots that taste better than from the store!

These are their cute carrot patches all ready to go to their new homes!

Then we grated carrots and measured sugar and flour and made delicious carrot cupcakes, each child ate two of them they were so good! 
What are you waiting for? Hurry and steal my cute ideas and recipe and go make some carrot cupcakes!

 

Sometimes the "Real" thing isn't always the best!

So last week I went to New York City to take my daughter for her 16th birthday. It was our first time there, an eye opening experience for sure! We had a great time, sure there were some scary moments, but they were just that, brief moments that passed quickly, always followed by something fun and exciting.

For those of you who don't know me well, I am a constant baker. If the kitchen is clean I must destroy it and make something absolutely delicious and sinfully fattening! 

 I have recently been making what I was calling connoli's. I made up the recipe, it consisted of a pastry shell made with butter and whipping cream, vanilla, sugar and eggs. The filling is a delicious blend of cream cheese, whipping cream, cheesecake pudding and non dairy whipped topping, can you imagine it? It is deliciousness at it's best. I cooked the pastry on a circle of parchment paper and then when it was still hot, I hurried and rolled it onto a wooden dowel.  

Now it's important to know that I have Never looked at a "Real" connoli recipe or even had a connoli, I have seen them before (not even sure where?) and that's all I have known of them. My made up version are delicious and when I make them I can easily down like 8 in no time at all which I believe calculates into 6, 432 calories- YUM!  

So back to my story, My daughter and I made our way to Little Italy. I said "I have to buy a "Real" connoli so I know if mine are even close to what they are supposed to taste like". I was very excited to taste it and since we were documenting our entire trip with photos, I had my daughter take pictures of me eating my first "Real" connoli. Oh, here goes I thought, I am so stinkin excited. Well, I really don't have to say too much, the pictures tell it all! 

Let's just say it was my first and my last "Real" connoli! I am including my own made up recipe for those of you who may have given up on connoli's all together or had a first experience like I did-it was very traumatic, I am currently in counseling- don't worry I will be OK. 

My recipe is delicious and worth making! The connoli I tasted that dreadful day in Little Italy almost changed my life, but I quickly recovered and am determined to change the authentic connoli recipe forever. Why stick with the old if it is absolutely disgusting? Come-on people let's change the world for the better. Make My connoli's and together we Will Make a Difference! 

Genz "Real" Connoli's

Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons whipping cream or 1/2 &1/2
• a pinch of salt

• Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets, or line with parchment paper circles.
  2. In a large glass or metal bowl, whip egg whites and sugar on high speed of an electric mixer until frothy, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, and stir in melted butter, vanilla, almond extract, water and flour one at a time, mixing well after each. Consistency should resemble pancake batter. Spoon the batter into 4-6 inch circles on the prepared baking sheets. Leave room between them for spreading. Don't make too many at a time about 5or 6.
  3. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges begin to brown slightly. Quickly remove one at a time from the oven and peel off the paper and roll onto a 1 inch wooden dowel.

  Let them cool, and then fill with the uttermost delicious creamy filling (recipe below) 
  Creamy Filling
  1 8 oz pkg of cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
  1 large tub of cool whip (or a knock off brand)
  1 box of Jell-O cheesecake pudding (the small box)
  1 cup whipping cream
  Mix whipping cream and pudding and let sit for a minute or two, then mix in the cream cheese with an electric mixer, then fold in the cool- whip. Put it into a pastry bag with a round tip (like a #10) and squeeze into the cooled connoli shells. You can add mini chocolate chips to make it more authentic, but I prefer not to. This filling is also what I use to fill my vanilla, pineapple and carrot cupcakes. It is so yummy! 
  Enjoy and thanks for supporting my cause by changing one cannoli recipe at a time! 
  Love Ya all so very much! -Gen-
  P.S. I did come home and read several cannoli recipes, trust me, just make mine!

Holy Yumminess coming from my kitchen every stinkin day

Can you smell that!?! So when my kids get home from school I usually try to have a yummy snack coming out of the oven just minutes before they get off the bus. Today it was these delicious Apple Streusel Muffins. (I hate how the spell check always tells me streusel isn't a word-In my world it is a word, and often used, everything is better once it's been streuseled!) So here it is SuperMoms, so start peeling and chopping those apples, this is sure to be a favorite. And because I love you all so much I am including two recipes that I created. A Super Simple cheater recipe that starts with a cake mix for those days when you need a little extra time and help in life (this describes almost everyday in my life) and the "Real" recipe for those of you who have nothing else to do but spend hours in the kitchen for your family while sporting a fantastic smile on your face the entire time. (you know who you are, we crazy moms are envious of you and it makes us kinda happy in a sick, selfish way, when you answer the door on those rare occasions that your hair is muffed up and we can see a mess behind you in the house even though you tried really hard to hide it and you just barely cracked the door open wide enough to talk.) I said it- but you all were thinking it!

Here is the recipe, please make them and eat several (my several is usually about 6, and if you make them mini sized then you are entitled to 12- woo hoo!)- you can always go running later!(you know the first few weeks of January when we all try to do better? well... that counts as later my friend so eat up!)

Apple Streusel Muffins 

 

What you will need for the "REAL" Recipe 

2 cups flour
3 tsp. baking pwd.
1 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup melted butter

                         1 1/2 cups chopped apples (minced)

So just measure your flour, baking pwd., baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a mixing bowl and give it a quick stir. In a separate bowl you are going to mix your sour cream, eggs, melted (NOT HOT) butter, applesauce and minced apple. Mix well and then add the dry ingredients into the wet. Blend it for a minute or so with the electric cheater machine mixer of your choice. Fill muffin tins (with liners) about 2/3 full with batter. Then make your delicious, buttery yummy streusel topping and crumble it on the tops of the muffins. 

The Super Simple Cheater version is coming next, then the streusel recipe. BE PATIENT PEOPLE! I can smell them coming out of your oven and it's gonna be sooo worth it! 

Here it is the Cheater Cheater version of Apple Streusel Muffins -but wait, first I have to tell a quick story that just came to me.  

When I was first married, the first time around (yep, I am one of those divorcees so go ahead and make a judgement if it pleases you, I don't mind being thought of as super intelligent and having things all together in life) many years ago. I had a neighbor who introduced me to taco seasoning. I was shocked that she didn't just season her tacos with all the separate spices. She is such a cheater I said- I talked bad about her for a while, laughing about how she was a cheater cook! Now, many years later I cannot remember the last time I didn't use the taco seasoning from a premix- Seriously if Mr McCormick is going to do the work beforehand then I am going to let him, and they sell it at Costco in a giant tub so why would I do it? Oh, the things I have learned in my old age! (I'm truly Sorry Laurie for ever judging you- you were the smart one!)  

Ok recipe #2 -here it goes

 Super Simple Cheater Cheater Apple Streusel Muffins

                            1 yellow cake mix (I use Betty Crocker)

                                      1 cube of butter -melted but not hot (I never said these were low fat, stay with me here, they are worth it! 

1 tsp. cinnamon

                                     2 apples finely chopped-(for you scary beginners who are having thoughts like"do I peel the apple first?" YES!! peel and core your apples please. 

4 eggs

Mix it all together with your handy dandy electric mixer, and fill lined muffin tins with batter 2/3 full. Bake @ 375 for about 12-15 minutes until they are nice and perfect and no longer jiggly in the center. Do not over cook them.

                              

           Streusel Topping (for either recipe)

1 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cube butter- soft but not melted

1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs

Mix all this goodness together and crumble it over the tops of the muffins before baking them.

Bake them @ 375 for 15-20 min  

Oh how I hope you make these and your family gains more respect and honor for you because of them! Enjoy my friend enjoy!

      

Bleapety, Bleap, Bleapin, Bleap.

The pressure is on to deliver a dynamic post. It is my first after all. I just know someone is going to eventually read it and I'm gonna make a new friend! How exciting is that!? Well, I titled it as I did for a reason, and it's a good one also. Someday, once we get to know each other better I will tell you why, but for now, just trust me. Trust that this will be a great place to come when you need a good laugh, or a No Fail recipe, and the best thing I can give you as your new friend, is confidence! Yes, confidence. After you see my chaotic life, you will feel so good and confident about your own! So you're welcome for that, I will just take credit already for making you feel more organized, less messy, and well balanced! Welcome aboard my friend! I hope you like to stay up til the wee, wii, oui hours of the night (yes my name is French, and I took 2 years of French in High School, but that's where it ends, I am of German descent, oh, but I do occasionally buy some french fries for my daughter and then scarf them down after she's only had like 2! hee hee) Moving on, I seem to get sidetracked quite often! I am going to post a picture below that my 6 year daughter, Magenta (yes, I know it's a color, but it's also my daughters name and it's a great one, so don't knock it! She is named after her mother MaGENta -get it?)  drew of our family on the beach. At first she didn't have me in the picture and I said "Sweetie, why isn't mommy in the picture?" her response "Because you are back in the motel asleep, while everyone else is playing on the beach!" Wow, that struck me kinda funny and I told her I would really like to be part of the picture too, so she quickly added me! I have reflected on this picture and the conversation between my daughter and myself several times in the past week. It made me quite sad to think that she would put me asleep in the motel. So I have decided that I need to put more balance in my life. I am someone who is by all definitions "A Night Owl! I stay up so late sometimes that it is all I can do just to wake up and get the kids off to school. So I am viewed by my children, as being tired quite often. I am publicly proposing a change for myself, right here, right now! Tonight is the last night I will stay up past 11PM. (It's 1:32am right now). Unless there is reason beyond my control to stay up(like if I am vomiting or something!) then I am no longer staying up late! My energy is going to be stored up for the hours when my children are awake so they see the best side of Mom!(not the sleepy, staying in the motel room side!) No more late nights for me! Wow, this is going to be soooo hard! My Mom has always said "nothing good happens after midnight"- I need to take her advice. So- Goodnight all. Catch ya bright and early!

Listen to this playlist: Genz BIG Mess