Easy Homemade Cookie Butter Frosting!

Candy corn, sprinkles and cupcakes for a chilly, wet October day.  Life is sweet!

First I'm happy to share that finally (!) just this week, the trees have really become brilliant in color, and the leaves seem to delicately sprinkle from the sky, creating a carpet of many colors in our yard! This beauty is a gift from our Creator!  I'm loving every day of it.

Yesterday, I wanted to make a fun treat that the children could help with, something I could top with festive sprinkles that would be delicious in the way of the fall season!  The kids love cupcakes!  I already had a box yellow cake mix ... perfect!!  They helped me mix up the batter by pouring in ingredients and stirring, even though we used the stand mixer.  My little helpers had a ball in the kitchen!  The park--in all it's jungle-gym glory--wouldn't make them as happy as they are when making dessert with Mommy! :D

The yellow cupcakes baked so moist and tender.  I used extra large eggs which just work best in baking, and we mixed the batter... A lot!  I think those things helped to produce a really fluffy cupcake.  Not to mention, box mixes can make fantastic, easy cakes!

However, I did want to make a decadent homemade frosting to top our cupcakes with.  While the kids napped, I decided to whip the frosting together and do "my magic" to surprise them with some finished ones when they got up!  I was about to make my go-to rich chocolate frosting which is a classic with yellow cake, but I wanted to be adventurous and try out something new!  

Mr. Cozy and I absolutely love Biscoff cookie butter, and he has mentioned to me before about making another dessert using that.  Last year I made some outrageously good mini cookie trifles and topped them with cookie butter whipped cream.  It was certainly a winning recipe that I happened to make on the fly.  Don't you just love those sudden ideas!

(FYI: Cookie butter isn't butter at all, but a sweet cinnamon-gingerbready tasting spread that is wonderful alone, on graham crackers, or in recipes like this!  If you've ever had a classic Biscoff cookie, you know what (Biscoff) cookie butter tastes like.)

So I decided to make Cookie Butter Frosting!!!  I can't take credit for the recipe, but I'm so glad I found it on Pinterest.  It's really easy to make, has only 4 ingredients, has the perfect consistency, and it is delicious! The cookie butter frosting tasted perfect on yellow cupcakes, but it would look beautiful piled high on chocolate cupcakes, too!   Hmm..... 

Please. You have to try cookie butter frosting to jazz up your own box cupcakes or any other special cookie or cake!  

Happy Fall Baking Y'all!!!

Homemade Cookie Butter Frosting

Adapted from Dinner Dishes and Dessert

1 c. Butter (2 sticks)

1 c. Cookie Butter, such as Biscoff (mine was Trader Joes)

4 c. Powdered Sugar

4 Tbsp. Half n half

With an electric mixer, beat together butter and cookie butter.  Mix until blended.  Turn down the mixer to low, add the milk, and slowly add the sugar.  Add a little more more milk or sugar if you need to get a different consistency.  Turn the mixer up and beat until no lumps remain.

Frost onto cooled cupcakes.  Refrigerate cupcakes if you're making them for the next day.

Will be more than enough frosting for 24 cupcakes. :)

Little Piggies in a Blanket!

These cuties are delicious, and they're such a perfect little appetizer for a game night or lunch for your children!  Easy is the word when it comes to piggies in a blanket, and they're fun to eat, too!  Here's the dilly ....

I use the Hillshire Farm turkey sausages so they don't have as much fat as the regular ones. I love the hot & sweet mustard that I rub in the cresent before adding the sausage.  It adds just the right flavor.  There is a yummy looking dipping sauce with this recipe that I need to make the next time.  My kiddos are easy, so when I make them for lunch I simply serve it with fresh grape tomatoes and pretzels or the like, but feel free to "jazz" them up however your family wants!

I know this is not a new concept, but here is the yummy recipe I've been using to make these piggies in a blanket for my own sweet, little Piggies!  ;)

Piggies in a Blanket

adapted from The Neely's

1 8 oz. can of refrigerated crescent rolls

3 Tbsp. hot & sweet mustard (or Dijon)

21 (about 1/2 pkg.) mini turkey sausages  "lil smokies"

Egg

Poppy seeds

Dipping Sauce ingredients:

1/2 c. Sour cream

1/2 c. Mayo

3 Tbsp. Dijon mustard 

1 Tbsp. Whole grain mustard

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lay out the crescent roll dough triangles, and using a pizza cutter make three strips lengthwise in them all.  Using a pastry brush or back of spoon, spread on the mustard.  Lay down the mini sausage on the wider end and roll up like you would any crescent roll.  Place on a cookie sheet.

In a small bowl, crack the egg and whisk with a little bit of water.  Brush the egg wash on the top of each roll.  Sprinkle with poppy seeds or sesame seeds.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until puffy and golden brown.

Stir together dipping sauce ingredients for a dip, or eat them as is... Delicious!!!  They can also be made ahead and fridge rated for tomorrow's lunchbox:)

(I split my little one's sausages because they're still so young.  I always want to be careful to prevent choking.)

Creamy White Chicken Chili and An Eventful Week

I don't know about yours, but we've had a good fall season so far!  Even though Mr. Cozy has had no less than a crazy work schedule being on and off nights, he's had several weekends to enjoy the family, praise the Lord!  The children and I have had fun days playing outside and enjoying chilly mornings cuddling by the fire.

Last week my Mom came (aka, Grammy) to watch the kids a few days, because I had surgery in my mouth.  My first surgery ever and I had a very tricky impacted wisdom tooth laying on a facial nerve to take out and an old baby tooth that had to get pulled and replaced with an implant.  :/. Meaning the last week hasn't at all been fun and games for me. My mouth is still sore and I have some strange tingling that I pray will go away very soon!  You know, as a Mommy, every little discomfort seems to be magnified.  Instead of being able to lay around with a ice pack and ice cream all day.... there are lots of things to take care of with two little people on your own!  I always have heard that parenting is very sacrificial, but until I became one, I had no idea how true that is!

Thankfully my own sweet Mom was here last week.  Mr. Cozy couldn't take off even one night shift, so she was here to take care of me and the children.  She brought us a chocolate chip pie, hummingbird bread, made creamy potato soup, and brought gifts for the kids and us!  It was wonderful!!!  Mom was the biggest blessing in this whole process.  Last week, I was able to lay around with my cotton packed mouth with ice packs since I knew the kids were in Grammy's loving hands.

Another thing that happened last week--on the 16, the day after surgery-- was our 9th wedding anniversary!!!  Oh, how I wish I could've spent more time with my wonderful husband that day.... Our anniversary is one of the most important, special days of the year to us!  This year was our first as parents to our children on earth, although Bailey Faith (our daughter in Heaven) made us mommy and daddy for the first time 4 years ago.... This anniversary is full of redemption!!

I. Love. This man!!!!

We have survived so much together, and because of Jesus, thrived despite so many obstacles in our way.  He knows my ins & outs more than any other person residing on the planet and loves me anyways.  I love him so deeply!  It's really wild how much we're one...he really is a part of me on every level.

I don't mean to glorify our marriage or make it seem struggle free, because we have seen seasons that have been particularly trying and down right hard. Marriage really takes work, but we both know we're in it 100%, and that God has a powerful way of mending the broken places when we trust Him!  We're committed no matter what, and part of that means making our relationship a priority even in our bustling, hectic lives.  Saturday night, we visited his family, and Meme and Grandad graciously kept the kids as we went out to one of our favorite restaurant Max's Brick Oven.  It's really hard to have a date night with children AND living so far from parents, but we decided to make it happen and I'm so glad we did!  It was magical!

I enjoy showing love to my family by cooking for them, you all know that!  This comforting creamy white chili is something Mr. Cozy loves, and I do too!  We all gobbled it up with mini Jiffy cornbread muffins last night.

It's filled with chicken and white beans and flavored with green chilis and cumin.  The creaminess from the sour cream is rich and delicious!  I used the breast meat of a rotisserie chicken from the grocery ( love those!) to make this an even faster meal to put together.  I think it's simple and easy to begin with, though since it's a one pot wonder!  Add more broth or milk if you want to thin it out. Topped with crunchy tortilla chips and Monterey Jack cheese, this soup is sure to satisfy your cozy meal craving!

If the next few nights are going to be as cold as ours, it would be the perfect time to simmer away creamy white chili while your family warms by the fire and catches up on one another's day!

Creamy White Chicken Chili

Gooseberry Patch's Autumn in the Country

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1lb. chicken breast, cooked and shredded

1 onion, diced (I used frozen chopped onion)

14 oz. can chicken broth

2 15 1/2oz. cans Great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained

1 or 2 small cans green chiles (I used one)

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. aground cumin

1/2 tsp. dried oregano

8 oz. container light sour cream

1/2 c. Milk

1/2 c. Half n half

Toppings: corn or tortilla chips and shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium heat and add onion. Cook until soft.  Add the beans, chiles, and broth and seasoning.  Bring to a boil.  Add the chicken and reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.  Add sour cream and milks, and salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well and heat for a few more minutes.  Label into bowls and top with a healthy portion of chips and cheese.

Enjoy with loved ones on a chilly night!

Serves 4-6

Apple Pie & Autumn Days

I Love Autumn!!!

There is something so comforting about fall's sights, smells and, of course, tastes. 

 

 

You know what I mean ... the crisp blue sky and the colors in nature going from summer's green to rusts, golds, plums, and blazing red.  

 

The smell of leaves on the ground (you know what I'm talking about) takes me back to my early childhood.  Jumping in huge piles of freshly raked leaves with my little brother is a favorite memory of mine!  My children are loving the beautiful colored leaves on the ground and collecting them along with acorns for a little fall "display" on our porch!  Precious.

It's pumpkin patch time, and we all go as a family for the very first time!! Here we are riding out to the patch together on a wagon!

 

What a dream come true for us...  Something I've looked forward to for many years! 

 The children's eyes lit up, as did my heart when they ran through the patch finding their perfect pumpkin!!

 

Back at home, get out the comfy throws and add an extra blanket to the bed for chilly nights in our upstairs attic-like master bedroom.  Blankets are my friends in cold weather, just ask my husband! 

 

This time of year our homes begin to smell like Grandma's house with vanilla, cinnamon, and pumpkin fragrances wafting in and out of rooms.  

 

We bring out our cozy recipes that simmer long and slow and start baking desserts that are really our favorite, like pumpkin spice muffins and pecan pie. 

 

And apple pie!  

 

 

Windows are opened again during the day to air out and cool off, and fireplaces are ablaze at night and early morning.  

 

Rainy days that bring in cold fronts give an additional excuse to light our candles and brew afternoon coffee... Such as this particular day last Saturday.  A perfect day!

The children were resting, and Mr. Cozy and I had an impromptu date in our living room!  I made Nana's (perfect) apple pie to really give us a taste of the season.  He made amazing coffee with extra fluffy foam on top.  He topped it off with a dusting of Pennsylvania maple sugar that Papa gave us as a yummy gift. Oh my!!

Melt in your mouth apple pie, perfect coffee, rainy afternoon, candles and sharing it all with the love of my life!.... What could be better?!

My new book, Women Living Well!!!  

When my blog "friend" Courtney Joseph just released her first book, I had to preorder it.  I was thrilled it came in on a rainy weekend so I could really dig in and read!!  

And oh, how it's a good read!

Courtney loves Jesus with all her heart, and she has an amazing online ministry (Women Living Well).  She is so lovely in spirit and genuinely enjoys all things home & family as I do, but she is also very real and relatable!  When I read this book, I feel as though she's talking to me in my own home, as a friend does.  This book is encouraging to read and the more I do the more I want to serve my family and draw closer to the Lord.  She and I have never met, but we certainly could be close friends!

(There are a few of you whom I feel the very same way about:)

Y'all really need to try out Nana's apple pie recipe (delicious!) and also this book if you haven't yet!   

My life has even more facets now, but I still like to keep pleasures simple, and I draw the rest I need from God's love and grace.  He is the only constant in our changing lives, and the return of Autumn reminds me of that. :)

 

If you love apple desserts like we do, you must check out my Caramel Apple Cake and Best Apple Crisp!  

 

 Linking up with friends at:

 

 

 

 

Comforting Tator Tot Casserole

So yesterday was, one of those days.

The kind of day I'm really glad is over.  Please tell me y'all have experienced this kind before!  It was a day where supper was the last thing on my mind, because all I wanted to do was curl up in my bed with a bag of chocolate chips and call it a day.  At like 2:00pm!

Having a family, that just wouldn't cut it... or be very nice, for that matter. :-|  SO... I was racking my brain to think of a comforting, easy meal using ground beef since that was thawing.  It dawned on me what I saw Mrs. Duggar make a while back to feed and satisfy her kids.  

Tator tot casserole!  

I mean, if she was feeding it to her family of 20 and calling it easy to make, then surely I could make it easy enough for 4!  

I confess to you.  I'm guilty of judging this casserole in the past.  I once only thought of it as fattening and unhealthy, and probably made by a person who doesn't cook well. Sorry!! :(   I was wrong...  This casserole  is hands down delicious!!

It kind of reminds me of America's version of shepherd's pie.  The base is browned ground beef and onions mixed with a cream soup, topped with tots and cheese then baked till golden and bubbly!  Yum!!  I added green peas and diced red bell pepper to the meat for a little nutrition and color.  We loved it!  Especially if you have kids, don't deprive them from this "cheeseburger and fries" tasting cassarole!  My own little Tots asked for seconds, so I know it's a winning recipe.  

Folks, I think you arrive to parenthood on the day all calories and preservatives fly out the window just so you can make a yummy, simple meal...due to shear exhaustion. Lol!  I never doubted tator tot casserole would taste good with these ingredients, and it honestly is!  I'll sure make it again when I need an easy, go-to dinner.  I'm not above this meal...no ma'am!

Here's to having terrific tasting and hearty recipes for those days! ;)

Tator Tot Casserole

Serves 4-6

1 lb. Ground beef

1/2 c. Onion, diced

1/2 c. Green peas

1/2 c. Red bell pepper, finely diced

1 can cream of mushroom or chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 bag of Tator tots, frozen

1 c. Colby jack or cheddar cheese, grated

Paprika

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a skillet, brown ground beef with the onions and bell pepper, over medium high heat, until the veggies are soft.

Strain off the fat in a colander,and put the beef mixture back into the skillet.  Add the peas.

Add the soup (undiluted), salt, pepper and stir everything together.

Pour into an 8x8 in. dish.

Spread out the tator tots on the top.  (I sprinkled some garlic salt and a little cayenne pepper over the tots, too.)

Put in the oven to bake for 30 minutes until tots are crispy.

Pull out and sprinkle the cheese and some paprika over it all.

Bake for an additional 8-10 minutes till bubbly.

The cheese is melted and the tots are crispy.  Oh, yum!

 

We enjoyed it with green beans. Eat up!

Fresh Tomato-Basil & Garlic Linguine

One of my all time favorite things to eat is pasta!  I love Italian food as a whole but especially pasta.  I bought some fresh herb linguine at the farmer's market this week.  Because it's more expensive (about $2.00 a person), it's real treat!  Seeing as I've only made it for my husband and and I, it's a luxury that easier to afford every once in a while.

The freshness of it makes it more tender and SO delicious!  There's a big difference from the usual dried kind.

Tonight I wanted to use it in a way the pasta shines through.  I didn't want to smother quality pasta in a heavy sauce, so I made one of my go-to easy and scrumptious pasta recipes!

This recipe only has 5 main ingredients: pasta, grape tomatoes, fresh basil, garlic, and onion.  Everything was cooked in a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and butter, seasoned simply wth salt and freshly ground pepper and finished with grated Parmesan cheese.  You can always add more like crushed red pepper, olives or mushrooms for even more flavor.  I came up with this "recipe" myself, so it's a loose one that can be tweaked to your liking. I used a lot of garlic, but it really makes it savory and the basil gives it a sweet burst of freshness! This dish would be delicious with crust bread on the side!  

Simple, easy, fresh, and lovely.

It's a fast meal to make and easy to make for just a couple of people or a whole table full!  This beautiful Tomato-Basil Linguine will make you look like a home chef!

Fresh Tomato-Basil & Garlic Linguine

Serves 2

2 servings of linguine, fresh if available, cooked 

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise 

Bunch of fresh basil (about 20-25 leaves)

4 Cloves garlic, thinly sliced (minced, if good but whatch to make sure it doesn't burn.)

1/4 c. Red onion, sliced thinly

Extra virgin olive oil

Butter

Salt & Pepper

Fresh Parmesan cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, add approx. 1 Tbsp. oil and 1 tbsp. butter.  

Add the onion and cook for a minute.  

Add the tomatoes and some salt, and cook for another minute. 

Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes until everything comes together and the tomatoes are softened and onions are tender.

Pour in the cooked linguine, the rest of the basil, and add about 1/2 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, black pepper and salt to taste.

Divide up in bowls, and finish with a little more cheese and pepper, and a sprig of basil.

Enjoy!

My Coffee with Foam

Last night a dear friend --one who seems to always radiate the love of Jesus in a very authentic way (thank God for friends like that, right!?) -- was gracious enough to watch our children for a couple hours while Mr. Cozy and I went on a date!

It was Heavenly!

As wonderful and amazing it is to be a mommy to my precious children, my hubby and I needed some alone time.  A time to recharge, go out together, and be able to focus solely on the company of each other!  I LOVE being with my husband, although sadly that doesn't seem like a popular opinion among young couples these days.

We went to a restaurant that isn't just a family place, but one we've enjoyed for date nights over the past several years!

It's a local, authentic Cuban/Spanish place called Mojitos!  We love ordering tapas there!!  Tapas is just a series of small plates/ appetizer sized dishes that they bring out one by one.  It's delicious and lots of fun!

We had the guacamole with plantain chips which is very popular there, queso fundido which is basically a hot dish of melted cheese served with homemade bread from a local bakery (Blue Dog).  For the hearty plates we ordered a flatbread piled with short ribs, blue cheese, arugula and spouts...yum!  Finally, a small steak with a yummy sauce served on a mound of smooth mashed potatoes with a nest of sweet potato strings on top.

We ate well!!!  It was a splurge, but perfect for our date.

We ended the meal with a cup of their delicious rich espresso with milk and lots of foam.  Possibly the best coffee drink ever!!  Honest. It's simplicity lets you taste just how delicious the coffee is!!  I wanted 2 more cups!

So later after the kids were in bed, I decided to use my strong decaf coffee and replicate the drink.  I have a little handheld frothier and enjoy making drinks complete with foam!  What a treat. :)

So on this chilly morning, I decided to add some foam and cinnamon to my morning cup, and what a good idea!  Somehow it feels more decadent without it being bad for me.  I froth skim milk, but it really adds to a plain cup of coffee ( unless you want to be really bad and top it with whipped cream!!).  

If you don't have a frothier, use a small whisk to briskly whisk warm milk and it will create some foam.  Scrape the foam off the top of the milk and place atop your coffee.

So here I am, snuggled under my blanket as I hear my tots wake up.  I started my day very slowly, but it's about to pick up!

Enjoy this gorgeous weather God has given us.  Happy Saturday!!