Black Forest Cupcakes!

I don't know why but Christmas time makes me want to bake and, well eat! haha I found this recipe on food network. I'm not a pop drinker so it was a little weird seeing that there's pop in this recipe but it was still a lot of fun to make!  

ingredients

• 1 (18.25-ounce) box devil’s food cake mix
• 1 1/3 cups black cherry soda
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3 eggs
• 1 container vanilla frosting
• 2 teaspoons cherry extract
• 1 to 2 drops pink food coloring
• 24 whole maraschino cherries with stems

directions

• 1 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin tins with paper liners.
• 2 In a large bowl combine cake mix, soda, vegetable oil and eggs. Using a hand mixer combine all ingredients, batter will still be somewhat lumpy. Pour batter into muffin cups. Bake 19 to 22 minutes, turning the pans halfway through baking. Remove to a rack and allow to cool completely.
• 3 In a large bowl combine frosting, extract and pink food coloring. When cupcakes are cool ice with pink cherry frosting and top each with maraschino cherry
  
  

  

   This recipe was really good! I was worried that you'd be able to taste the pop but you really can't all that much and when you do its kind of refreshing! I think the best part about this cup cake is that its easy to make and it has cherries! I love Cherries! I wish I could be writing this and eating one but my roommates kind of had a feast and ate them all before I could write about it.... Sorry guys! Anyway, please try this and send me pictures or like recipes. I would love to hear from you guys!
  
  Ta Ta for now,
  Lil' Char
  
  
  

Ham and Egg Cups!

So I found this recipe on pinterest awhile ago and have been making them for awhile now and I love them and so does my super picky dad! haha Anyway, its super easy and a ton of fun to eat! If you don't like runny eggs then I suggest you skip over this recipe, but if you love your eggs on a super delicious runny side then keep on reading!

ingredients

• 12 Eggs
• 12 thin slices of deli ham (round)
• 1/2 Cup of your favorite cheese (I used Parmesan or Colby Jack)
• 1/2 Cup diced scallions
• Fresh cracked Sea Salt and Pepper

directions

• 1
  Preheat the oven to 400. Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray. Lay a piece of ham in each hole creating a little ham cup. Crack one egg into each hole and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• 2
  Bake the eggs for about 12 minutes…until the white is firm and the yolk is still nice and runny.
• 3
  Carefully remove each egg from the muffin tin and top with grated cheese and scallions. Serve hot!
  
  
   This is a great recipe that's quick and yummy! If you don't like ham then try Turkey its just as good!!! Actually, basically all  lunch meats are good, well maybe not roast beef. I did like salami too! okay anyway, I really think everyone should try this recipe!
  
  Ta ta for now,
  
  Lil' Char

Apple Cider Caramels

Sorry guys for not posting last week. I totally spaced it, so this week you'll have to stay tuned for my other recipe! It might be another candy recipe or maybe chicken, or even a pork recipe! That's all I'll give you for now! 

This recipe I found through a friend! She sent it to me and I couldn't help but try it!!! So I'm writing this as it sits in my fridge cooling.  It made my apartment smell so good that I really wanted to just try it when it was on the stove but with it being at about 244 degrees I thought it might hurt a bit... As for my roommates they were hovering over me just waiting for it to be done so we all could just munch on some really good caramels! Even my kitties were hovering around my legs waiting for me to drop some for them to munch on.... Sometimes I think they are dogs. Its true, they act more like begging dogs than kittens. Anyway, this recipe is from the blog, I heart Nap Time. Its a funny name I know but she is very insightful on making these caramels. She has many good tips and some awesome Pictures!

Ingredients

• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup heavy whipping cream divided
• pinch ground cloves
• 1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 3 tbsp water
• 1/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup butter cubed

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, boil apple cider for 20-30 minutes or until it is reduced down to 1/3 cup. Set it aside to cool.
2. Line a 8x8 pan with parchment paper. Coat with a bit of cooking spray and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine 2/3 cup whipping cream, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and reduced apple cider. Set aside.
4. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar, 1/3 cup whipping cream, water, and corn syrup. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves (about 5-10 minutes). Insert a candy thermometer and simmer until the syrup reaches 230 degrees.
5. Remove pan from heat and whisk in the cider and cream mixture. Add the butter and combine until fully incorporated. Return the pan to heat and re-insert candy thermometer. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until the temperature reaches 244 degrees. Once temperature reaches 244 degrees, cook for 2 minutes longer.
6. Remove from heat and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Let the mixture cool completely at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
7. Once cooled, cut the caramels into squares or rectangles and wrap each caramel in wax paper. Store in an airtight container or in the refrigerator. 

So My one mistake on this recipe was that I didn't have parchment paper so I thought if I buttered a pan that I could call it good... Well that didn't work. I got the caramels stuck to it. The best part is that it still worked out fine! all you had to do was press it into shape when you wrapped it in wax paper. As for that part I have a roll of wax paper so I just cup up some pieces and wrapped! I do know  at craft stores they have pre- cut wax papers that you can buy but I was lazy and didn't want to drive to the store when i could just cut it up. As for the flavor of this amazing caramel I loved it! I'm a major fan of anything apple so I don't think there's enough apple but its still really good! I don't know if my roommates liked it yet but when they bother get home I know they will have to try it! Again, I'm sorry about not posting last week. I will have another one up soon to fix that problem! Keep an eye out and I hope you try some of these recipes! I know you'll all love them!

Ta Ta for now,
Lil' Char

Chicken fajita chowder

This chowder is great for fall! it has a Mexican kick and isn’t spicy!!! Great with chips or bread. I don't remember where I actually found it. I think it might have been a Betty Crocker recipe but I'm not really sure anymore.

ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1.4 oz package fajita or taco seasoning mix divided
• 4 boneless chicken breasts, cubed
• 3 tablespoons veggie oil
• 1 onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 15 1/4 oz can sweet corn and diced peppers, drained
• 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 14 1/2 oz can Mexican- style stewed tomatoes
• 4.5 oz can chopped green chilies
• 3 cups water
• 1 cup instant brown rice, uncooked
• 10 3/4 oz can nacho cheese soup
• 1 1/4 cup water

directions

• 1
  Combine flour and 2 tablespoons seasoning mix in a large plastic zipping bag, add chicken. seal bag and shake to coat. Saute chicken in hot oil in a large pot over high heat about 5 minutes, until golden stirring often.
• 2
  Reduce heat to medium high, Add onions and garlic; saute 5 minutes. Stir in remaining seasoning mix, corn, and next 5 ingredients; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Add soup and 1 1/4 cups water; thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with desired toppings and garnish.

notes

Toppings: sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese, chopped green onions, tortilla chips Garnish: fresh chipped cilantro


I really liked this recipe. Well I am posting it so i would hope that I liked it! Anyway, when I made this recipe I wasn't expecting for it to make so much. I think next time I do make it I'll only make a half batch. Its bad that I have so many leftovers that my roommates and I are sick of eating it. Well actually thats not really a bad thing. What I do like it that it had the tastes of a chicken taco but without the major mess of a taco. I bet this would be just as good with beef or pork! I should try that sometime, or one of you can and tell me how it goes. I would love to hear back from you guys!.

Ta Ta for now,

Lil' Char

Char's Fried Rice!

Hey guys, Sorry this is a day late but I kind of had to much of a lazy day yesterday and spaced that i had to update my blog. Sorry! Anyway, this post is dedicated to my Aunt who keeps asking me to send her this recipe. I made it for her on our family trip and everyone in my family loved it. I don't know where I actually found this recipe originally. I just make it from memory by now so I'm sorry if it doesn't make sense. I typed it up from memory. I usually just throw things in and don't measure so it was a little weird to actually measure everything out.  Oh and be prepared to make a lot of dishes. I usually use three different pans so I make plenty of dishes but I also make a ton of this recipe because it makes perfect leftovers!

Ingredients

4 cups rice (I use minute rice white or brown)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 clove of minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced ginger root (use a vegetable peeler to peel the skin. Just use the meat of the root)

1 cup frozen peas and carrots

1 green onion chopped (don’t put in until the end. Just toss into it before serving)

1 can Baby corn (optional)

½ cup Mushrooms (optional)

1 small can Chopped Water Chestnuts (optional)

1 to 2 eggs

½ cup oyster sauce (I use Stir fry sauce. I think it tastes better)

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions-

1.       Cook the rice. I follow the package directions for this one!

2.       In a separate pan cook the ginger and garlic in the oil. Only cook for a few minutes until its fragrant.

3.       Add in the veggies and cook. When the rice is done add to the pan of veggies. Make sure that you use a large pan for this.

4.       In a separate pan scramble up the eggs and add to the rice and veggies mixture. When warm add in the sauce and mix well!

5.       Now its time to eat it!

You can always add in chicken or steak. 

What I love about this recipe is that I can add whatever I feel like that day! I love making this when I have a bunch of veggies in my fridge that needs to be used up. This recipe is perfect for that! Although you wont see me use baby corn. I feel like its weird and if I wanted corn I would just add normal corn.  Plus I really don't like oyster sauce so I use stir fry sauce. I really like Lee Ann Chin sweet and sour sauce or teriyaki. This recipe is really easy and super yummy! Believe me I've been making it for a very long time! If you want to make it a full meal then I would suggest adding chicken. What I like to do with the chicken is marinate in the stir fry sauce for a half hour, then cube it and add it to the pan before the veggies but you can do whatever you like! The fried rice I made today only had peas, carrots, and eggs in it. I didn't want to buy everything so I just made some super vegged fried rice. I also made some chicken breasts to pun with it. Its basically chicken marinated in the same sauce used for the rice and pan fried. I was going to chop it up and put it in the rice but I thought it would look pretty next to the rice. Well I hope you guys like this recipe!

Ta ta for now,

Lil' Char

Chicken fruit salad

This fruit salad is easy and its one serving! the whole recipe is one major serving of yummy! The only thing this recipe is missing is the granola! I found it in the same cookbook as before and I need a quick and easy lunch for work. It was easy to make and super simple! Oh the cookbook is called Incredibly easy Chicken by Favorite Brand Name recipes. I don't really know if that's the author but It was on the cover so I gave it to you!

Ingredients

1/2 cup diced roasted skinless chicken
1/2 rib celery, cut into 1 -inch pieces
1/4 cup drained Mandarin orange slices
1/4 cup seedless grapes
2 tablespoons lemon  yogurt
1 tablespoon mayo
1/4 teaspoon soy sauce
1/8 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon

Directions

1. toss together the chicken, celery, oranges, and grapes. place in a air tight container.
2. Mix together the yogurt, mayo, soy sauce, and pumpkin pie spice and place in a small air tight container.
3. For serving pour the sauce over the salad or dip pieces into the sauce!

I'm sorry this is so short but I felt like it had to be shared! It was so good! I even had it two days in a row! The second time I made the sauce I added a little more lemon yogurt and I thought it tasted better but its all about preference. I really like lemons! I would really recommend this for people on a diet! I don't know why but it made me feel healthy just looking at the pictures! haha Oh and sorry this post was out so late. I had to work a double.

Ta Ta for now,

Lil' Char

Savory Dill Chicken

Hey guys,
Today I have a recipe that is actually from a cook book! I know right? No pinterest today! Anyway, I've been in the mood for chicken and I remembered I had this cookbook all about chicken that my brother got for me for Christmas one year! I'm pretty sure he found it in the bargain bin because I shop in the cook book section all the time and I've never seen it before! The cookbook is called Incredibly Easy Chicken. Believe me when the name says it all! I really didn't have to do much with it but it still turned out good! There are a bunch of recipes that I want to try from it but I also don't want to eat a month of chicken.

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons I can't believe its not butter spread ( I used real butter for this)
1 1/2 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 cup water
1 package KNORR recipe classics vegetable or spring vegetable soup, dip and recipe mix
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, melt your butter over medium- high heat and brown chicken, turning occasionally about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in water, recipe mix, and dill weed. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to low and simmer covered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked. Remove chicken to serving plate and keep warm.

3. Remove skillet from high heat; stir in sour cream. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve, If desired, with noodles.

Oh my gosh guys this recipe is amazing! I wasn't sure how it would turn out but I really like it! I think next time I might try it with an onion soup mix. I just really like onions and I feel like it needs more vegetables but over all it was yummy! I made it over noodles and I also added a few extra scoops of sour cream to make my sauce a little creamier. Plus the best part was that I will have extra for my lunch tomorrow! I like the idea of having extras! I will have to let you know how it tastes re- heated! Again please try this recipe and tell me how it goes! Also pictures are always welcomed!




Ta Ta for now,
Lil' Char