Recipes - A Pumpkin And A Princess

White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

April 8, 2013 12 Comments

Happy Monday, my friends! Do you know what’s the best way to start a Monday? With a BIG giveaway! Today I’m sharing a White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Bars recipe as part of a progressive dinner party and giveaway. Its no secret that I love cheesecake. I’ve made Mini Snicker’s Cheesecakes, Caramel Apple Cheesecakes, Butterfinger Cheesecakes, and now strawberry cheesecake bars.

White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

White Chocolate Strawberry Cheesecake Bars

For the filling:

(2) 8 oz packages of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup white chocolate chips, melted and cooled
1 cup strawberry jam

For the crust:
1 cup graham crackers
3-4 tsp butter
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Step one

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper, lightly spray with cooking spray.

Step two

Crush one cup of graham crackers in a food processor. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and cinnamon together. Mix with melted butter and press mixture onto pan. Bake for 5 minutes and allow crust to cool.

Step three

Spread strawberry jam evenly onto crust.

Step four

For the filling mix together cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream. Add in melted white chocolate. Slowly add eggs and vanilla until mixture is well combined. Pour into pan and bake for 40-50 minutes. Allow cheesecake to cool completely (I like to store mine in the refrigerator overnight).

Now lets talk about this progressive dinner, shall we? Some bloggy friends and I have put together a spring time progressive dinner that involves everything from a tablescape to appetizers, side dishes, the main course, drinks and dessert. Be sure to hop around the links below to check out my friends amazing dishes.

Progressive Dinner Party

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Chocolate Coconut Nests

March 27, 2013 7 Comments

Every year, the week leading up to Easter I make chocolate coconut nests for the kids. They love these little treats and its become tradition that I make them. To be honest I think I make them more for me because these coconut nests are SO good. They remind me of Mounds candy bars and the best part is they only require two ingredients!

how to make coconut nests

I shared this easy chocolate coconut nests recipe two years ago but I have since revamped the technique and thought I would re-share. This time around I made mini coconut nests using a mini muffin tin, instead of shaping the nests by hand. This is definitely my new favorite way to make them and will continue to use this method in the future.

how to make coconut nests.

Chocolate Coconut Nests Recipe

Makes 12 regular size or 24 mini coconut nests

1 3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate

2 cups shredded coconut flakes

Step one

Lightly spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray

Step two

Over a double boiler or in the microwave melt chocolate until smooth. Stir in coconut flakes until fully combined.

Step three

Scoop one heaping teaspoon into each muffin cup. With a spoon press the mixture in the center to create a nest-like shape. Allow nests to harden or place in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Easter, Kids, Recipes, Spring Tagged With: Chocolate Coconut Nests, Coconut Nests, Easter Recipes, Easter Treats

Reese’s Ice Cream Cupcakes

March 19, 2013 65 Comments

Reese’s Ice Cream Cupcakes – Is there anything better than peanut butter and chocolate mixed together into a delicious ice cream cupcake? The chocolate and peanut butter combo make this ice cream cupcake recipe a keeper! If you love Reese’s peanut butter cups you’ll love this recipe.

Ice Cream Cupcake Recipes

Since announcing my 12 months of ice cream cupcakes series I’ve been thinking of recipes to make for the entire series. The mint chocolate chip ice cream cupcakes were a big hit in our family and in that post I mentioned trying a peanut butter and chocolate ice cream cupcake, so I knew I had to start the series with these Reese’s Ice Cream Cupcakes.

The cake layer is filled with Reese’s peanut butter chips, giving you a sweet peanut buttery flavor in every bite. The ice cream layer is Dreyer’s Peanut Butter Cup ice cream. Here’s the twist on the topping..its the new Cool Whip Frosting topped with a mini Reese’s cup. The Cool Whip frosting is a smooth frosting that compliments the ice cream nicely.

Ice Cream Cupcakes

If you haven’t tried ice cream cupcakes, run to the store and makes these bad boys. They’re perfect for a special events, birthday parties, or a fun dessert to make with the kids. My kiddos loved filling the ice cream layer and of course topping them with the mini peanut butter cup. It was a messy process since I like to let the ice cream melt a little but it was worth the messy fun!

Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Cupcakes

Ice Cream Cupcakes

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes

Reese’s Ice Cream Cupcakes

Ingredients

Dreyer's Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream
Favorite chocolate cake mix (I used Betty Crocker Triple Chocolate)
1/2 cup Reese's peanut butter chips
Cool Whip chocolate frosting
Mini Reese's peanut butter cups

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Prepare cake mix and stir in Reese's peanut butter chips.
Pour 1 tablespoon of cake mix batter into each muffin cup.
Bake for 10-12 minutes; allow cupcakes to cool.
Top cupcakes with slightly melted ice cream.
Freeze for at least 2-3 hours, preferably overnight.
Top with Cool Whip frosting and mini Reese's peanut butter cup.

http://apumpkinandaprincess.com/2013/03/reeses-ice-cream-cupcakes-recipe.html

Next week I have another ice cream dessert recipe to share with you. They’re not ice cream cupcakes but its one of my favorite desserts to make!

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Desserts, Featured, Parties, Recipes Tagged With: ice cream cupcakes, peanut butter cups, Reese's Candy, Reese's Ice Cream

Cream Cheese Banana Nut Muffins

March 14, 2013 8 Comments

One of my favorite uses for overripe bananas is to make banana nut muffins. Fact: sometimes I purposely let our bananas get overripe just so that I can make muffins with them. This week I tried the best banana nut muffin recipe EVER! Its a moist banana nut muffin with a cream cheese filling and oh did I mentioned they’re delicious?

Banana Nut Muffins recipe

I slightly adapted this recipe from the May 2012 issue of Food Network magazine who adapted the recipe from a restaurant, Gary Danko, in San Francisco. I will say that the recipe is a little time consuming because you have to wash out your mixer a few times. Unless of course you have multiple kitchen aid mixers and in that case I’m totally jealous of you. :) But I promise all the work will be worth it in the end!

Banana nut muffins with cream cheese mousse recipe

For the muffins:

1 1/2 cups plus 3 tbsp cake flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 stick plus 2 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup plus 6 tbsp sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

3 large eggs, room temperature

3 ripe banana, mashed

2/3 cup walnuts, chopped

For the cream cheese mouse filling:

8 oz cream cheese, at room temperature

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large egg whites, at room temperature

1/2 cup sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degree; line a muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Begin by making the filling: beat the cream cheese and vanilla extract with the paddle attachment on medium speed until smooth; transfer to a bowl. Clean out the mixer then beat the egg whites with the whisk attachment for about a minute. Gradually add the sugar, then increase the mixer speed to high for about 3 minutes. Add half of the cream cheese mixture and beat until combined. Add the remaining half of your cream cheese mixture and beat until smooth. Put filling in a pastry bag with a large round tip. If you don’t have a tip available snipping 1 inch off the bottom of a disposable pastry bag works fine. Clean out the mixer.

3. For the muffins: Sift flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Beat butter, sugar, and vanilla with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 5 minutes. Beat in the eggs, one at a time. Add in mashed bananas until well combined. Slowly add half of the flour mixture and beat on low speed. Add renaming flour mixture until combined. Stir in walnuts.

4. Fill muffin pan about 1/2 way full. Insert the pastry tip (or bag) halfway into the batter and pipe about 1 teaspoon of filling in each muffin. Bake for about 20-30 minutes minutes, until the a toothpick inserted in the muffin (not filling) comes out clean. Transfer to a rack to cool for 15 minutes. Makes 24 muffins.

Enjoy!

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Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes Tagged With: Banana Nut Muffins, Breakfast Muffins, Cream Cheese Mousse

Peanut Butter and Jam Crepes

March 7, 2013 12 Comments

If you were to ask my children what their favorite meal is hands down they would say breakfast. In fact breakfast for dinner is an all time fave around here. Because of that I’m always looking for new breakfast ideas to make and even recreating some of our favorites with different flavors. Like these Peanut Butter and Jam Crepes! Awhile back we tried strawberry crepes and recently decided to put a twist on the classic PB&J by creating Peanut Butter and Jam Crepes.

Easy Crepes Recipe

As a busy mom I like finding recipes to make during the week that require as little ingredients possible. Don’t get me wrong, if a recipe calls for a long list of ingredients and is super delicious I’ll happily make it on the weekend or when our family schedule is pretty slow. But during the week we have so much going on that I need to simplify my time in the kitchen. This recipe is very easy to make and once the crepes are made you can store them in an airtight container then warm them up the next day for a quick and easy breakfast or snack.

Peanut Butter & Jam Crepes Recipe

2 large eggs
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1 cup flour
3 tablespoons melted butter
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Butter, for coating the pan
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup jam
fresh fruit
confectioners sugar (optional)

1. In a blender, combine eggs, milk, water, flour, melted butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until a smooth batter forms.

2. Refrigerate the batter for at least 1 hour (I like to let the batter sit overnight in the refrigerator).

3. Heat a non-stick skillet on medium-low heat and add a small amount of butter to cover the pan.

4. Pour 1 ounce of batter and spread evenly into a circle.

5. Cook for about 1 minute then carefully flip the crepe over with a spatula and cook for another minute.

6. Stack the crepes on a plate until you’re ready to fill them.

7. Spread 1 tablespoon of peanut butter onto the crepe than add 1-2 teaspoons of jam. Add fresh fruit like strawberries and blueberries that compliment your jam.

8. Fold crepe in half then fold a second time and cut down the center.

9. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

To make the crepes I used the new Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil. The butter is made with three simple ingredients; sweet cream, canola oil, and salt. It doesn’t have any artificial ingredients, which is always a plus in my book. I also like that the Land O Lakes® Butter with Canola Oil has that fresh butter taste yet its easy to spread straight out of the refrigerator. Its perfect for spreading on toast and muffins for breakfast as well as our favorite dinner side dishes.

Shhh…I secretly love PB&J sandwiches as much as my kids do and this crepe recipe is even better than the sandwich version. I’ve tried several crepe recipes and this is my favorite so far. Its almost borderline a dessert recipe than actual breakfast but its so delicious that I want an excuse to enjoy it early in the morning. :)

Easy Crepes Recipe

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The author was compensated by Land O’Lakes for this post. All opinions are my own.

Filed Under: Recipes Tagged With: Crepes Recipe, Peanut Butter and Jam Crepes

Easter Baking {Carrot Cupcakes & Lemon Bars)

February 20, 2013 15 Comments

With Easter quickly approaching I’m ready to dive into Easter crafts and recipes. Holidays are always fun for our family and there are sweet memories being made with each year that passes. My contribution to every holiday meal is dessert, its pretty much expected at this point. That being said I’m always looking for new Easter baking ideas and sometimes I get inspiration from baking supplies I find.

Last week I headed to World Market for a few Easter baking supplies and was thrilled with what I found. If you haven’t visited a World Market you are missing out! I love everything they carry and always have to watch my wallet when I walk into the store. Its that awesome!

Easy Carrot Cupcakes Recipe

When you think of World Market cute trendy furniture and home decor accessories probably come to mind first, but did you know they offer baking supplies as well? Check out what I found for our Easter celebration….

Easter Baking Ideas

I’m in LOVE with the cute measuring spoons and matching measuring cups I found in pretty Spring colors. I’m equally in love with my new slate cheese board..perfect for displaying party food on! They even had cute gift wrapping supplies for baked goods like those polka dot blue bread carriers and floral treat boxes. Then of course I had to get the kids some Easter baking candy for cupcakes. On top of all that I found baking mixes to make dessert quick and easy if you’re in a rush. I picked up a box of carrot cupcake mix and a lemon bar mix.

Carrot Cupcakes Recipe

For the cupcakes I used the mix then made my own cream cheese frosting and the kit included orange sprinkles to decorate the cupcakes with.

Carrot Cupcakes:

1 box of carrot cupcake mix found at World Market

3 tbsp butter, softened

1/4 cup water

1 egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Combine cupcake mix, butter, water, and egg.

3. Pour batter into lined muffin cups. Bake 16-18 minutes.

Cream Cheese Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 cup butter

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups confectioners sugar

1. Mix cream cheese and butter for 3-5 minutes until light and fluffy.

2. Add in vanilla extra until fully combined.

3. Slowly incorporate confectioners sugar into mix. Spread or pipe frosting on cupcakes.

Easy Lemon Bars recipe

Lemon Bars:

1 box of Lemon Bar mix found at World Market

2 eggs

1/4 cup water

6 tbsp cold butter

1. Combine lemon bar mix, eggs, and water for 2 minutes; set aside.

For the crust:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease an 8×8 inch pan.

2. Combine butter and crust mix until small crumbs form.

3. Press crust into pan and bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Add lemon bar filling onto crust. Bake for 22-24 minutes.

5. Allow lemon bars to cool then cut and top with powdered sugar.

Easy Lemon Bars recipe

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What are some of your favorite Easter recipes?

Thanks for stopping by!

This shop is part of a social shopper marketing insight campaign with Pollinate Media Group™ and World Market, but all my opinions are my own. #pmedia #WorldMarket. Disclosure

Filed Under: Desserts, Recipes

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Push Up Pops

February 19, 2013 47 Comments

Now that Valentine’s Day has passed its time to start focusing on St. Patrick’s Day crafts and recipes. Last year right before St. Patrick’s Day I shared mint chocolate chip ice cream cupcakes and this year I put a new spin on them by creating mint brownie ice cream push up pops! I love mint brownie ice cream and this recipe is perfect for a St. Patrick’s Day party.

Ice Cream Push Up Pops

Speaking of ice cream cupcakes, with the help of a few good friends I have a fun new series starting this month where I will share a new ice cream cupcake recipe once a month for the next year, so that it will end on the anniversary of when my first recipe was published.You’re probably thinking “umm how many times can you switch out the ice cream?” but rest assure there will be some fun new creative ways to make ice cream cupcakes for every holiday/season/celebration imaginable! A few of my favorite bloggers have given me some ideas for this series that I think you’re going to like! Ice cream cupcakes are perfect for parties and they’re so easy to make that I hope you enjoy this series as much I’m looking forward to it, especially for what I have in store for you at the end of it. :)

Ice Cream Cupcakes

Now back to the St. Patrick’s Day Push-Up Pops…

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Push Up Pops

Push-up pops have been all the rage for a couple of years now so I’ve been wanting to make them for awhile. A few weeks ago I came across a Wilton pack of push up pop containers at Michaels and I knew it was time to finally make some. They also had a Wilton pan that creates mini cakes shaped small enough for the push up pop containers but I didn’t pick that up. So here’s what I did..I baked a sheet layer of brownies then used the container to cut out circles that were a perfect fit!

Brownie push up pop tutorial

My baking pan collection is getting out of hand but I may just have to add the push up pop one soon for a post I’m working on for next month. More deets on that soon. ;)

Mint Brownie Ice Cream Push Up Pops

Ingredients

Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg
Mint Brownie Ice Cream
Whipped Cream (optional)
Sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Mix water, oil, and egg together; add brownie mix. Stir until well blended.
Bake brownies for 26-28 minutes.
Allow brownies to cool completely.
>>>To assemble ice cream brownie push up pops:
Cut brownie bites small enough to fit into the container (tip: use the top of the container to cut perfectly sized brownie bites).
Add one brownie bite then spoon in ice cream layer. Repeat with another layer of brownie bite and ice cream.
Top with whipped cream and sprinkles if desired.
Enjoy!

http://apumpkinandaprincess.com/2013/02/mint-brownie-ice-cream-push-up-pops.html

Ice Cream Push Up Pops

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Filed Under: Desserts, Holidays, Kids, Recipes, Spring Tagged With: ice cream push up pops, mint brownie ice cream, push-up pops, St. Patrick's Day

Honey Brown Sugar Scrub Recipe

February 15, 2013 38 Comments

Honey Brown Sugar Scrub Recipe
Happy Friday, friends! How was your Valentine’s Day? We had a great day with the kids and an evening out alone. We went to our favorite Italian restaurant then out for a little shopping. My store of choice was of course Lowe’s for a few DIY projects I’m working on. I’m a little sad that Valentine’s Day is over but I’m already looking forward to Spring and Easter. Today we’re switching gears away from holiday crafts and I’m going to share with you how you can create your own spa-like experience at home with this Honey Brown Sugar Scrub recipe.

Brown Sugar Scrub

Scrubs can be pricey but with only a few ingredients found in your pantry you’ll be hooked on this easy to make sugar scrub!

Last week I shared the “spa at home” gift I made for a friend and you may have spotted the sugar scrub in there. Since then I’ve made a few adjustments to the recipe.

I found this brown sugar scrub recipe in the recent Sandra Lee magazine. I’ve tried basic sugar scrubs before but this recipe called for honey and cinnamon, both of which I haven’t tried in a scrub before.

The original recipe was great and left my skin feeling soft, but I didn’t like how oily it was. It called for two cups of brown sugar but I increased mine by a quarter cup. Start with 2 and increase the amount of brown sugar based on your preference. :)

Honey Brown Sugar Scrub Recipe:

2 1/4 cups brown sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

In a bowl combine all ingredients until fully mixed; store in an airtight container. In case you’re wondering I found these jars at Hobby Lobby. Tie the jar with bakers twine, add a wooden spoon, and you have the perfect sugar scrub gift!

Update: I’ve had a few people ask about adding a preservative to the scrub to make it last longer. I recommend adding 1 teaspoon of vitamin E oil to your scrub then storing them in a tightly closed container. :)

Sugar Scrub recipe