Online Business: February 2017

Pepperoni Cheese Knots

I have a fantastic recipe to share with you today. I made these for the kids in my family, but the adults went crazy for them too. These Pepperoni Cheese Knots are really really yummy.

Big soft and chewy rolls that are stuffed with warm melty cheese and pepperoni. There is something so satisfying about pulling these cheesy knots apart, dipping them into pizza sauce and devouring them. I like to sprinkle a little garlic powder over the top for some added flavor, but if your kids don't care for the garlic powder, just leave it off.

Let me show you how easy these are to make.

First, get all of your ingredients ready. You need thawed Rhodes Texas Rolls, pizza sauce, mini pepperoni, shredded cheese, a little melted butter (not pictured) and some garlic powder.

Combine two Texas rolls and flatten into roughly a 8''x3'' rectangle. Fill the center with shredded cheese and mini pepperoni.

Fold up sides and pinch together to seal, cross one side over the other and tie into a knot.

Place all of the knots on a greased baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with a little garlic powder. Cover lightly with plastic wrap that has been sprayed with cooking spray and allow to rise for 30 minutes.

Remove plastic wrap and bake in a preheated oven until golden brown.

Pull apart and dip into pizza sauce. Enjoy.

I am sharing this delicious recipe over at the Rhodes Kids Baking Blog today. Click HERE to get this yummy RECIPE.

This post is sponsored by Rhodes Bread. All opinions are my own and I have always been a fan of Rhodes Rolls. Thanks for allowing me to work with the brands that I love.

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Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars

These are SO DANG GOOD. They are everything you want and more. These are like my dream sugar cookie bar. With St. Patrick's Day coming up, I always turn to pistachio pudding when I'm wanting some delicious green treats. Adding pistachio pudding mix to my favorite sugar cookie bar recipe was the best decision ever.

Plus, I am obsessed with almond flavoring and I pretty much buy it in bulk :) I added almond extract to the sugar cookie base to enhance the pistachio pudding flavor and I added it to the frosting.

So soft and chewy, full of almond flavor and topped with a thick and creamy buttercream. These are seriously my new favorite.

You might also like:

Pistachio Bundt Cake

Pistachio Thumbprint Cookies with Cream Cheese Filling

Pistachio Nanaimo Bars

Pistachio Cake Mix Cookies

Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
(Printable Recipe)

1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. almond extract
2 large eggs
1 (3.4 oz.) pkg. instant pistachio pudding mix
2 drops green food coloring, opt.
2 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cream together butter and sugar. Mix in the vanilla and almond extracts. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Mix in the dry pudding mix and green food coloring. Add one cup of flour, salt and baking soda and mix until combined. Add the remaining one cup of flour and mix until just combined. Press dough evenly into a greased 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 14-15 minutes (I like mine best at 14 minutes). Cool completely and top with buttercream frosting.

Buttercream Frosting
1/2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2 1/4 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbl. milk, plus more if needed

In a medium mixing bowl, combine butter, salt, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until creamy. Add one cup of powdered sugar and mix well. Add remaining powdered sugar and mix until smooth and creamy, adding milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Spread over cooled sugar cookie bars.

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Menu Plan Saturday #99

SUNDAY

Cheesy Ham Chowder

MONDAY

Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Ranch Rolls

This recipe calls for turkey, but you can use cooked chicken instead

TUESDAY

Cilantro Orzo and Beef

WEDNESDAY

Ham Bacon and Cheese Bagel Snacks

Use leftover ham from Sunday's chowder

THURSDAY

Fluffy Cornmeal Pancakes

FRIDAY

Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken

SATURDAY

Menu Plan Day and Take Out Night

FOR DESSERT

Carrot Cookies with Orange Cream Cheese Frosting

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Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Quinoa

I am turning to my slow cooker more and more lately. I used to make big Sunday dinners (sometimes I still do), but lately there is just something so relaxing on Sunday knowing that my dinner is cooking away in the slow cooker and I hardly need to do anything at all.

I have made this slow cooker chicken enchilada quinoa many many times and it's delicious. The quinoa gets really soft during cooking and when mixed with the crisp corn, soft beans and tender chicken, it's a fantastic combination.

This easy, protein-packed meal, is perfect for a week night or Sunday dinner. It also tastes amazing leftover.

You might also like:

Slow Cooker Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

Slow Cooker Fiesta Chicken

Slow Cooker Tex Mex Chicken

Cheesy, Chicken, Broccoli and Quinoa Casserole

Slow Cooker Chicken Enchilada Quinoa
adapted from: Le Creme de La Crumb
(Printable Recipe)

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 oz.) can corn, drained
2 (10 oz.) cans of red enchilada sauce, divided
1 (10 oz.) can Rotel (diced tomatoes with green chiles), undrained
1 c. un-cooked quinoa
1/2 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
salt and pepper
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 oz. cream cheese (I use light)
juice of 1/2 a lime
optional: chopped cilantro, sour cream, diced green onions, diced avocado, shredded cheese, diced tomatoes

Add black beans, corn, 1 can of enchilada sauce, Rotel, quinoa, water, cumin, garlic powder and a little salt and pepper to a slow cooker and stir together. Place two large chicken breasts on the top. Pour remaining 1 can of enchilada sauce on the top. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until chicken is cooked through. When chicken is done, shred.

Add cream cheese and lime juice and allow to cook for about 10 more minutes. Stir together until cream cheese is melted and completely dissolved into the mixture (I use a silicon whisk to mix it). Serve with desired toppings. Makes 5-6 servings.

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Menu Plan Saturday #98

SUNDAY

Ground Beef Enchiladas with Creamy Red Enchilada Sauce

MONDAY

Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches

TUESDAY

Mexi Chicken

WEDNESDAY

Sloppy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

THURSDAY

Asian Pork Chops with Easy Lo Mein

FRIDAY

White Chicken Chili Baked Taquitos

SATURDAY

Menu Plan Day and Take Out Night

DESSERT

Italian Cream Cake

FOR A SNACK

Amish Friendship Cinnamon Bread (without a starter)

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The BEST Red Velvet Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'm so excited to finally be sharing one of my absolute favorite cupcake recipes with you.

When I was young, I had never heard of, or seen, a red velvet cupcake. It wasn't until I was an adult when I first discovered red velvet cake. Honestly, I think I first saw a red velvet cake on an episode of Paula Deen on T.V. and I had to try this interesting cake right away.

From the moment I first tasted red velvet cake, it instantly became my favorite and is still, to this day, my favorite flavor of cake.

There was a time when I was making a new red velvet cake recipe every weekend. I had to make up for lost time, right? I tried recipe after recipe and none compared to this one. It is a light cake with a beautiful red color and a slight chocolate flavor with a little tang from the buttermilk. Red velvet cake is not meant to have a super strong chocolate flavor.

I top these cupcakes with my go-to cream cheese frosting recipe. I prefer my cream cheese frosting to have more butter than cream cheese, but if you like a super strong cream cheese flavor, you can double the cream cheese and cut the amount of butter called for in half.

This has been my go-to red velvet cupcake recipe for years and years and I'm sure it will become your favorite too.

You might also like:

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies with Cream Cheese Filling

The BEST Chocolate Cupcakes with Cheesecake Pudding Filling

Red Velvet Sweetheart Cookies

The BEST Red Velvet Cupcakes
adapted from: Magnolia Bakery
(Printable Recipe)

3 1/3 c. cake flour (not self-rising)
3/4 c. (12 Tbl.) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/4 c. sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 Tbl. liquid red food coloring
3 Tbl. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. buttermilk
1 1/2 tsp. white vinegar
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray with cooking spray; set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and mix on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. In a small bowl, whisk the food coloring, cocoa powder and vanilla together; add to the butter/sugar mixture and mix well. Stir the salt into the buttermilk and add to the batter in three parts, alternating with the cake flour, starting and ending with flour. In a small bowl, stir together the vinegar and baking soda; add to the batter and mix well.

Fill cupcake liners 2/3 full with batter and bake in preheated oven for 17-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not over bake. Repeat with remaining cupcakes. Cool completely and top with Cream Cheese Frosting. Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cupcakes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:
From: Jenn@eatcakefordinner
1 c. (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla extract
4 1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 Tbl. milk, plus more if needed

In a large bowl, mix together butter, cream cheese, salt and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar, one cup at a time, beating well after each addition. If frosting is too thick, add a little milk. If you are planning to pipe the frosting onto the cupcakes, you want it thick enough to hold its shape. This makes enough frosting to pipe a big swirl on the top of each cupcake. I used a Wilton 1M piping tip.

*If you do not want to pipe a large swirl onto each cupcake and prefer to spread a small layer on top instead, the amount of frosting could be cut in half.