Category: Baked goods

Posted in Baked goods, Food

Curley Power Bars

Posted on by lmc

curley power bar

As I have mentioned in past posts, my children are swimmers and they are constantly eating! After buying my share of expensive power bars at the grocery store over the years, I decided to try to come up with a recipe that would replace the expensive bars found at the local market. This is the recipe that worked out best. These bars are quite delicious and surprisingly satisfying. If I had a nickle for every time I have shared this recipe with fellow swimmer parents, I’d be rich! 🙂

Curley Power Bars

1 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey or reduced sugar (1/3) corn syrup
1/3 cup margarine
2 tsp vanilla extract
3 1/3 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flaked coconut (optional)
1/2 cup raisins or dates(optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix first 5 ingredients until smooth and well blended.
Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Press into a greased 13×9″ baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes. After taking the pan out of the oven, cover with aluminum foil until completely cooled. This helps to keep the bars chewy.
Note: I often sprinkle a little non-fat dry milk powder or protein powder into the peanut butter mixture to add nutrients and protein. Cut into bars when cool and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Pop one into a lunch box or a sports bag to give the kids a burst of nutritious energy.

Posted in Baked goods, Food, lunch box

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Posted on by lmc

photo (1)a

Every year, around the holidays, I bake this loaf for friends and co-workers. I take out my ceramic bowls, baking supplies and loaf pans and turn out about 15 loaves in a matter of hours. After I let the loaves cool, I wrap them in foil and Christmas wrapping paper, tie them up with Christmas ribbons and send them off to various friends and co-workers. This yummy loaf is quick and easy to make yet looks like it takes hours. This recipe yields three gift jars that can be used to make one loaf each.

Cinnamon Swirl Bread

1 pkg. white cake mix
2 pkg. rapid-rise yeast
3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
3 16 oz. jars

Filling

1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the first four ingredients and evenly distribute them into the three jars. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon and distribute into three plastic baggies. To each jar, attach a baggie and a copy of the following directions.

To make Cinnamon Swirl Bread

Set aside sugar-cinnamon baggie.
In a large bowl, combine bread mix with 1 cup of warm water.
Stir until well combined.
Stir in one more cup of flour and kneed dough until smooth.
Return dough to the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for 45 minutes.
Punch down dough and roll into an 8” X 12” rectangle.
Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon –sugar mixture.
Roll up the dough and place seam side down in greased loaf pan.
Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 15-20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.

Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food, lunch box

Kate’s Favorite Glazed Strawberry Cupcakes

Posted on by lmc

glazed strawberry cupcakes

Did you know that you can spruce up a cake mix by adding a package of flavored gelatin to the batter?
These semi-homemade cupcakes are quick and easy to whip up and they’re so moist and yummy. During the holidays, many weekly sale ads feature greatly reduced pricing on baking supplies. So stock up on white cake mix when it’s on sale and keep lots of different flavored gelatin in the pantry for a variety of flavorful treats.

Kate’s Favorite Glazed Strawberry Cupcakes

1 box of white cake mix
1 3 oz box of strawberry gelatin
2/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup water
4 eggs
1/2 cup chopped strawberries

Mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. With an electric mixer beat in remaining ingredients until fully combined. Pour batter into prepared cupcake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 17-20 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean. Cool and drizzle cupcakes with powdered sugar glaze.

Posted in Baked goods, Desserts, Food, Gifts, lunch box

Melt In Your Mouth Christmas Cut-Outs

Posted on by lmc

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Throughout the month of December, we love to turn up the Christmas music, drag out the baking supplies and bake cookies to celebrate the holiday season. My children love to search through the box of cookie cutters to find the perfect shape for their individual cut-outs. They delight in combing through the baking cabinet for all of the colorful sprinkles and sugars as our tasty treats bake in the oven. These moments create the memories for a lifetime. I hope you enjoy the holiday baking season while making wonderful memories with your family.

Melt In Your Mouth Christmas Cut-Outs

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
1 cup canola oil
1/8 tsp salt
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp almond extract
4 cups flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Cream butter, oil, and sugars
Add eggs and extract; beat well
Mix in remaining dry ingredients
Form into a disk and chill for 1 hour
Roll out on floured surface and cut into shapes with cookie cutters
Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 8-10 minutes or until light golden brown around the edges.
Cool completely and glaze cookies with powdered sugar glaze