The Averys

We went to our friends house for dinner and I made this to take for dessert. In honor of them I named it... :)

Avery Chocolate Bundt Cake

Cake
1 box devil's food cake mix (I used the Pillsbury Moist Supreme)
1 box instant chocolate pudding mix
1 & 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup canola oil
3 eggs
1/4 cup nonfat vanilla yogurt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)

Combine first 7 ingredients. Mix well.
Add in chocolate chips with spoon.
Prepare bundt pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 42 minutes.
Let cake sit in pan for 20 minutes to cool.
Remove and place on cake plate.

Glaze
2 & 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbl. unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tbl. nonfat milk
1 tbl. butter, softened
1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted

Combine butter, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder with mixer, in a medium microwave safe bowl.
Add vanilla. Add milk gradually until smooth.
Add melted chocolate chips. Mix well.
Microwave until warm (about 20 seconds).
Spoon over cake so it dribbles down the side and puddles.
*Garnish with fresh berries or dust cake with powdered sugar!

Shimmies & Shakes

This is so tasty and delicious it will make you shimmy and shake!

Yum Yum Buns

2 cans biscuits (Grands Flaky Homestyle, 8 count)

3 oz. cream cheese (cut into 16 cubes)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

1/3 cup chopped pecans 

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1 & 1/2 tablespoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine sugar and cinnamon, set aside. Take biscuits one at a time, flatten with palm of hand, place 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon mixture in the middle of biscuit and one cube of cream cheese. Pinch edges of biscuit together, keep pinching until you create a ball.

Pour melted butter in bottom of bundt pan, pour the rest of the cinnamon and sugar mixture on next and top with chopped pecans. Place all biscuits in pan, seam side up.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 until golden brown. Remove cake from pan. Mix powdered sugar, hot water and vanilla to make icing. Drizzle over cake. Enjoy!!

An individual little bun... :)

Tahiti Sweetie

While Chase and I were in Tahiti we had the most amazing French toast. We ate it almost every morning. I don't know if they used fresh Tahitian vanilla beans or what but it was scrumptious. This weekend we experimented with our own version and mmmh it was yummy!

Citrus Infused French Toast

Makes 4 slices

1/2 cup milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon 

fourth an orange 

orange zest

2 eggs

"some French" :) 

1. Mix first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Zest orange & then queeze over bowl (don't juice it). 

2. Cut French bread in 1 inch slices on a slant.

3. Soak pieces of bread 1 at a time. Make sure to have cinnamon and zest stay on the top and bottom of the slice. 

4. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side, over low heat, until done. 

Smother with black berries or strawberries and dust with powdered sugar. Serve with warm maple syrup.

The Best

I didn't have a banana bread recipe so I found a handful of different ones that looked good and made 3 loafs in 1 week (let's just say the neighbors were happy!) to discover the Best one. With a little tweaking.. this is it!

Banana Bread

Makes 1 loaf

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup chocolate chips (semi-sweet)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time until well mixed.

2. In a small bowl mash bananas, set aside.

3. In first bowl add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined. Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips and pour into prepared pan.

4. Bake until when a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean, about 1 hour and 5 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes in pan, then place loaf on cooling rack. Enjoy!

Silly tip… Before peeling the bananas, squeeze them lightly all over and let them sit for a little while (it makes it much easier to mash them later).