Lightened-Up Cookie Monster Brookie Cake

April 6, 2019 Amanda Plott

As it turns out… I have a cookie monster living in my house and she’s turning 9 years old tomorrow. Though maybe she’s more of a cake monster since she’s somehow managing to get three birthday cakes this year due to a series of fortunate events. Yes, FORTUNATE events.

Every ear for my daughter’s birthday, I make her something special that I can take up to her school at lunch and let her share with her friends. This time around she requested a cookie cake. Which… is what I made last year. And we can’t do the same thing over again. So! I decided to take that cookie cake a step further and make it into a BROOKIE cake. What’s a brookie, you ask? A brownie and a cookie combined together!…

Overnight Blueberry French Toast Bake

March 31, 2019 Amanda Plott

Sundays are for brunching, and this Sunday is no different. With knowing tomorrow is Monday, and that today was going to be a lazy day for the most part, I decided to go ahead and make breakfast yesterday. Well, what does that mean? It means Overnight Blueberry French Toast Bake, that’s what it means!

This Overnight Blueberry French Toast Bake is made ahead of time and sits overnight in the fridge where the big cubes of hearty bread cans oat up eggs, cream cheese, blueberries and the like. Then in the morning, it’s ready to be baked and enjoyed!…

Lightened Up Carrot Cake

March 27, 2019 Amanda Plott

I’ve made a good lot of carrot cakes in my time. Anywhere from traditional to gluten-free, and a few others along the way. There’s a few things I’ve learned in my carrot cake making journey. One is that you always ALWAYS need a good simple cream cheese frosting with it. And two is that it needs to be chunky.

I like my carrot cake loaded up with plenty of the good stuff. Carrots, raisins, pineapple, coconut, and yes… even nuts!

I based this ultimate carrot cake off of the one that I made for my daughter’s 2nd birthday. It’s an ingredient heavy cake, just like most carrots cakes are, but I promise you that the cake itself is rather easy to make. No overly complicated instructions…

Nice Krispies Treats

February 28, 2019 Amanda Plott

So… I’m trying my damndest to be a well balanced mom. Right? I mean… aren’t we all? I think my daughter was maybe 6 years old before she ever had her first bite of McDonalds. She still hasn’t ever tried anything from Chef Boyardee. And Vienna Sausages? NEVER. And these are all things that I grew up on. Another classic childhood favorite? Rice Krispies Treats!

I’ve been wanting to make a better-for-you version of the staple treats for YEAAAARS now. Crispy rice treats are easy to make. Quick to set up. And almost every kid loves them. So when I got my hands on some house-made marshmallows this week, I knew THIS had to happen…

Blueberry Oat Bars

February 25, 2019 Amanda Plott

I think, just like most out there, I generally go in and out of wanting sweet or savory for breakfast. Most days, savory wins out. This week though, I was in a sweets sort of mood! These Blueberry Oat Bars couldn’t have hit the spot any better. They’re sweet, tart, and perfectly acceptable for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!

These oat bars are surprisingly easy to make, with really just a handful of pretty standard staple items too. There’s little mixing and no cooking involved. Just a few stirs and some time to bake. Plus, they’re low sodium, vegetarian, and dairy-free too. Good stuff all around…

Lightened-Up Brown Butter & Bourbon Chocolate Chunk Cookies

February 23, 2019 Amanda Plott

These cookies are legit.

They are much a mouthful to say as they are a mouthful to eat. They are absolutely STUFFED full with all sorts of yummy and delicious tidbits of YUM. We’re talking big chocolate chunks, buttered pecans, and YES even BOURBON.

To say that these cookies are full of flavor would be a sad sad sad understatement. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical that browning the butter would add more flavor, but it is DEFINITELY worth the few minutes of effort. That along with the bourbon… I’m in heaven over here…