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Real Solutions for Real Parents by Autumn Rose Reo

Easter Egg Brunch Wreath

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It’s amazing what five ingredients and a roll of crescent rolls can do to make you look like a golden breakfast goddess! Here’s our how-to for Easter Egg Brunch Wreath.

I kept seeing all these photos on Pinterest, but when I clicked on the breakfast brunch wreath, the photo went no where. Therefore, I had to improvise and figure it out myself. So I did a pretty good job of making something out of it since we’ve already made this multiple times and can now mix and match whatever ingredients you might want from veggies, sausage or in my family’s case, more bacon.

And don’t forget the caraway seeds! I made one with and one without and it made a HUGE difference!

Easter-Egg-Wreath


 

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Easter Egg Brunch Wreath

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 can of crescent rolls (8 pack)
  • 6–8 eggs,scrambled with butter and seasing
  • 8 slices bacon, cooked but not crispy
  • 2 cups cheese
  • 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Instructions

  1. On a greased cookie sheet lined with wax paper, lay out the crescent rolls on a star shape with the fat end in the center and overlap each triangle with the corner until the middle makes a circle.
  2. Lay a slice of bacon on each triangle.
  3. Sprinkle 1 cup cheese at the perimeter of the circle.
  4. Layer eggs around the same circle over the cheese.
  5. Add another layer of cheese.
  6. Take the ends of the crescent roll towards the center and pinch at the base to form a circle.
  7. Complete until the rolls form a circle, wreath shaped.
  8. Sprinkle caraway seeds on top.
  9. Cook at 375 degrees until brown for around 20 minutes.

Enjoy more mamachallenge Easter Brunch Recipes

Easter-Brunch

 

Quiche Lorraine with Hashbrown Crust

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Hashbrown-Quiche-MamaChallenge

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Quiche Lorraine with Hashbrown Crust

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
Print Recipe

Description

A wonderful brunch make-ahead recipe!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted, divided in half
  • 1 package 16 oz. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
  • 8 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup ham, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp minced, fresh oregano
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
  2. Brush a 9-by-2 1/2-inch springform pan with 2 TBSP melted butter.
  3. Line the sides of the pan with strips of parchment paper and brush paper with butter, too.
  4. Squeeze all the water / moisture out of the hashbrowns in a colander and let dry.  
  5. In a large bowl, mix hash browns with butter, 1 egg, salt, and pepper.
  6. Press hashbrown mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of your prepared pan. 
  7. Press firmly to mold the potatoes against the edges.
  8. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; bake until set and the edges of the hash browns are lightly browned.
  9. In a large bowl, whisk the remaining eggs and milk, then add the rest of the ingredients. Pour into prepared crust.
  10. Bake until set, 45 to 50 minutes and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Notes

  • Perfect for Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas or a another great holiday!

Easter-Brunch

Hop into Spring Easter Basket Idea

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Just because it’s an Easter basket doesn’t mean it has to be full of candy! Get them excited to hop into spring with this Spring Easter Basket Idea. 

Thanks to Mirum for inspiring Easter fun ideas with this sponsored post.

Through the years I’ve done pretty good with egg decorating and egg hunting, but I’ll admit, the Easter egg basket hasn’t been my forte.


Mostly because the idea of voluntarily giving my kids a whole basket of sugar is never on my agenda. So when we gave baskets it was full of things like activity books, small toys, etc. However, a lot like bad birthday party favors, I’d rather not give anything if it’s not good.

SpringEasterBasketIdea

Let’s face it, if it’s not, we moms throw out the junk. It’s what we do. 

So this Easter basket season, only good ideas to the rescue. Items that my kids can use, that my kids want, stuff I don’t mind them having, and most of all anything that can keep them occupied!

SlimJim

After a cold winter, it’s time to get ready to get outdoors which is what inspired this “Hop into Spring” Easter basket. Full of things to keep the kids outdoors, enjoying spring, and keeping them moving from sun up to sun down! It’s so important to get the opportunity to enjoy the perfect temperatures and beautiful work of Mother Nature! 

SlimJim

And best of all, I was able to get it all at Walmart, which has some awesome things to put together a great Easter basket.  And most everything was just a few dollars, making it super easy to make a quality basket. 

SlimJimEaster

SlimJIm

“Hop into Spring” Easter Basket Idea:

  • Cute Basket: This baby even comes with the bow and can be used for a picnic basket later! 
  • Bunny Ears:  Bunnies. Hopping. You get it.  
  • Sunglasses: To protect those cute little eyes! 
  • Kite: In the words of Mary Poppins “Let’s Go Fly a Kite.” 
  • Bubbles: Because bubbles.
  • Pinwheel: You can’t go wrong with 
  • Balloon Launcher: Water balloons make everything better. 
  • Emoji Frisbee: Frisbees are fun for everyone. 
  • Beach Towel: Either to sit on or wipe down from the balloons. 
  • Slim Jim Smoked Snacks: All this activity is going to work up an appetite! Thankfully our version of “meat and cheese” includes Slim Jim Smoked Snacks (26 ct.) in just the right size and cheese popcorn! 

You can choose to BYOB (that’s Build Your Own Basket for clarification) at Walmart or get REAL creative by making your own online for a chance to enter the sweepstakes at SlimJimBoldBreak.com. Plus when you share it socially and you can increase your chances of winning with more entries.  

EasterBasketIdea

Just take a look at our BYOB Basket (see our Funny Bunny!) and share yours too! 

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Void where prohibited. The Slim Jim Build Your Own Basket Sweepstakes is sponsored by Conagra Brands, Inc. Open to legal U.S. residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18 & older. Begins 12:00 a.m. PT on 3/1/18 & ends 11:59 p.m. PT on 4/1/18. Twenty potential winners will be randomly selected to each receive a $100 Walmart eGift card. Total ARV: $2,000. Odds depend on number of entries. For full details see official rules at SlimJimBoldBreak.com.

EasterBasketSlimJim

What are your Easter traditions?

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Lemon Lavender Cupcakes (Just like Magnolia Bakery)

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Wish you could take a little bit of Magnolia home with you? With this copycat recipe for their signature Lemon Lavender Cupcakes you can!

A trip to Magnolia Market in Waco is like a checking off the ideal bucket list: a place for the perfect farm house decor, a destination for just enjoying the simple things with friends among the green space, and of course, a taste for the bestest cupcakes (like lemon lavender ones) from Magnolia Bakery.

Magnolia Cupakes


There’s a reason that thousands of people stand in line just for the chance to order and bite into a few delectable treats and walk through Joanna’s sweet design. While we were there we ordered one of each and we’re lucky to get the last lemon lavender cupcake left. 

Magnolia Cupakes

And each bite was absolutely perfect. 

Like each and every bite was better the one before it and you just kept wanting more as you glanced around panorama style at the Pinterest-perfect place they’ve built. 

When we returned from our one-day journey, we yearned for a little piece of Magnolia Market to have with us all the time. So we planted our own piece of gardening heaven complete with lavender in our own little wine barrel and have enjoyed it all summer-long. 

Magnolia-Herb-Garden (40 of 18)

And we also yearned for that lavender cupcake. 

So of course, with lots of lavender, logically I had a hundred reasons to make my own.

Unfortunately I had one BIG one that kept me from cranking them out…the recipe. 

Magnolia Cupakes

And while we all feel like Chip and Jo are our besties (and should be), she isn’t about to share that recipe (at least not yet.) 

So I had to take matters into my own hands and make up my own. 

Magnolia Cupakes

After a few different tries having to slave over cupcake batter and icing recipes (and an education on all things lavender), I came up with what I think is a good reproduction. So much so that we even found the cupcake wrappers to put them in. While my icing skills still could have a little more practice, I was able to shoot a few photos before quickly gobbling these up. 

Magnolia Cupakes

And it was a good gobble. 

It’s like sunshine, cream, summer goodness – in a cute little round package. 

However, there’s always harvesting that lavender to enjoy this cupcake well after autumn and winter has set in. 

So if you get a chance to go to Magnolia especially during this, go. If you can’t, this recipe might help you cope until you do (or make it a lot more fun to watch them on TV.) 

 

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Lemon Lavender Cupcake (Copycat Magnolia Bakery)

★★★★

4 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
  • Yield: 12 1x
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Description

There’s nothing like this lemon lavender cupcake to make you and your mouth happy (just like a trip to Magnolia.)

Ingredients

Scale

Batter

  • 1/2 cup whole milk
  • 1 tbsp edible lavender, dried (Make sure it’s edible. I love this one!)
  • 1 1/3 cups flour (preferably cake)
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3 tbsp honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon lemon extract

Frosting

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon lemon extract

Instructions

For batter

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a processor/blender, combine milk and lavender and pulse until blended. Set aside.
  3. In a bowl, combine dry batter ingredients (except sugar) until blended. Set aside.
  4. With mixer, combine butter and sugar until fluffy. Blend honey, then eggs, one at a time and lastly add vanilla and lemon. Slowly combine both wet and dry ingredients together, folding in the lavender mixture last, dispersing in the mixture.
  5. Pour into cupcake liners, filling 2/3 full. Back for 15 – 18 minutes until golden. Remove and allow to cool.

For Frosting

  1. Add butter and sugar together in a stand mixer, adding cream slowly until smooth.
  2. Then beat on high for 2-3 minutes.
  3. Add lemon and beat again for another 1 minute to blend.
  4. Spread on cupcakes or use a piping bag to complete the charm.

Notes

  • Add lavender or lemon zest to the top of the icing for an added treat!

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 12
  • Calories: 432
  • Sugar: 38
  • Sodium: 123
  • Fat: 25
  • Saturated Fat: 16
  • Unsaturated Fat: 8
  • Trans Fat: 1
  • Carbohydrates: 49
  • Protein: 3
  • Cholesterol: 96

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Best Damn Chicken and Waffles Casserole

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Chicken and waffles gets even better when it goes casserole! And with one sweet ingredient, you’ll be saying THIS IS the best damn chicken and waffles casserole. 

I remember the first time I heard about chicken and waffles I was like…what? That doesn’t sounds good? Why is everyone freaking out about chicken and waffles? 

…Then I had it. 

Then I understood. 


ChickenandWaffles
There’s something about the sweetness, the crunch, and the little bit of spice, sandwiched together into one perfect bite. 

Yep, I like it…

But to time the fresh golden fluffy waffles at the same time as hot fried chicken is a little difficult and way more time consuming than I’m willing to put forward (or at least have time to!) 

So in true #mamachallenge form, it was time to look to the world of semi-homemade and put it all together into one dish for a bigger dish of happiness.

Frozen waffles to the rescue! 

ChickenandWaffles

ChickenandWaffles
Cooking everything together into Chicken and Waffles Casserole not only makes it easier on making, but also serving! And since you can make this in advance, this casserole is ideal for big breakfast/brunch moment like Christmas or when you really want to make an impression. 

ChickenandWaffles

However, the impression really gets better when the chicken hits the tastebuds. One of our favorite chicken spots is hands down Chick-Fil-A. If you’ve had it, you know – it’s that good. There’s something about CFA and any drive by the eatery with lines of folks parked double-laned around the joint will verify – their chicken is THAT good. While I don’t know what makes it take like what dreams are made of, inspired by the sweetness of their chicken, we added powdered sugar to our breading, along with a little spice to cinch the deal on this chicken and waffles casserole. 

Oh man, it’s THAT GOOD.

ChickenandWaffles

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Best Damn Chicken and Waffles Casserole

★★

2 from 1 reviews
  • Author: Autumn Reo, mamachallenge.com
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Description

The best of both worlds come together for the Best Damn Chicken and Waffles.

Ingredients

Scale
  • Nonstick cooking spray
  • 3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 9 large eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar
  • 8 frozen waffles, cubed
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 1/4 cups milk
  • Serve with maple syrup

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray with the cooking spray.
  3. Cut the chicken into 1-inch pieces.
  4. Mix together the flour, powdered sugar, chilli powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl.
  5. Beat 3 eggs in a shallow bowl.
  6. Place the panko breadcrumbs into a third shallow bowl.
  7. Toss the chicken in the flour to coat, then dip into the egg, and then place in the panko, turning to coat. Place onto the prepared baking sheets and repeat with the rest of the chicken.
  8. Spray the chicken with the cooking spray then bake, turning the chicken over halfway through, for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside.
  9. Grease an 8×13 inch baking dish.
  10. Add half of the cubed waffles in a single layer.
  11. Top with half of the chicken and 1/2 of the cheese then layer the remaining waffles and chicken and cheese.
  12. Whisk together 6 eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a medium bowl until combined.
  13. Pour the egg mixture evenly over the chicken and waffles.
  14. Bake at 325 degrees F for 45 to 50 minutes or refrigerate overnight and bake the next day.

Notes

  • If you really want crispy chicken quick, you can opt to deep fry the chicken instead of baking!

ChickenandWaffles

No Trouble Trifle Recipes

By 1 Comment

Need a dessert that’s impressive, but takes only minutes to put together? Try these no trouble trifle recipes for the win. 

What’s not to love about a trifle? A dessert that has been around since the 1500s, the trifle has stood the test of time for many reasons.

I personally believe it’s because it makes everyone look like hostess with the mostest when all you did was dump things in a bowl and out comes a beautiful and creamy confection. 

I know that’s why I’m a fan and apparently, Pinterest is too since the site is filled to the brim with trifles of every combination imaginable. 


While most of them are “technically’ not a trifle, but more of a stackable dessert by English standards, the trifle in any form is the treat that everyone can love, whether you’re making it or you’re eating it. 

So let’s get ready to TRIFLE! 

 

Summer Sangria Trifle 

Trifle
A true trifle is created with fruit, sponge cake or lady fingers  soaked with Sherry or a fortified wine, and custard stacked in thin layers. Viola. 

This type of trifles are so good to make especially in the summer so you don’t have to spend your time in a hot kitchen using your favorite fruit combinations. 

Since I’m a girl that loves Sangria, this traditional type of trifle is ideal for a light and easy dessert that you can make at the last minute and still look like you spent hours to make a dessert that even Martha can put her stamp on. 

For this Summer Sangria Trifle, we’re using a mixing blueberries, peaches, raspberries, and strawberries with a moscato. After one bite, you’ll have problems deciding whether you want to drink or eat your Sangria. 

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Summer Sangria Trifle

  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
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Description

An impressive presentation without much work and all the flavor! You’ll wonder if drinking or eating your wine tastes better.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 pound cake loaf, cubed (or you can use Twinkies if you are in a fix!)
  • 2 peaches, peeled and sliced
  • 1 cup berries (any mix)
  • 2 cups moscato, sweet wine
  • 1 container, whipped cream

Instructions

  1. Marinate peaches in a cup of moscato for 2 hours. Once the peaches are ready, start layering your trifle with cake, then fruit, and then whipped cream. Repeat with whipped cream on top. Cover in fruit and allow to sit in the refrigerator for an hour to cool. Keep cool until ready to serve.

Notes

  • Use whatever fresh fruit is in season for the perfect trifle.

S’mores Trifle

Smores Trfile

Want to make a kid-friendly dessert that is as much fun to make as it is to eat? A s’mores trifle is the way to go – especially in mason jars. They’re so much fun to make as well, so ask the little people to help! 

Ingredients

Graham crackers, crushed 

chocolate pudding (I have one with Nutella that’s out of this world or you can use snack cups from the pantry!) 

Oreo cookies, crumbled 

whipped cream 

marshmallows, minis work best 

Directions

Layer the ingredients starting with graham crackers, pudding, crumbled cookies and then whipped cream. Cover the top in marshmallow and torch for the final effect! I love to add a little chocolate square to add to the final presentation! 

Pumpkin Spice Trifle 

Pumpkin-Trifle

This one is my favorite (well, except for the s’mores and sangria ones:) but it’s so perfect for fall when you are craving everything with pumpkin and cinnamon. I love making these in singles so you can eat one now, later, and tomorrow. Plus they are ideal for an alternative to making pie (and who needs all that work!) 

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Pumpkin Spice Trifle

  • Author: Autumn Reo of mamachallenge.com
Print Recipe

Description

Get your pumpkin fix with this easy to make, so good to taste, you’ll make it again and again!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 12–15 Gingerbread or molasses cookies, crushed
  • 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (like this)
  • 1 container of whipped topping, thawed

Instructions

  1. To make custard, beat cream cheese in a bowl until smooth with mixer.
  2. Next add the pumpkin, vanilla, sugar, and pie spice until well blended. Now fold in around a cup of whipped cream and combined.
  3. To assemble trifle, layer crumbled cookies into bottom of container. Next layer pumpkin, followed by whipped cream. Repeat if possible, ending with the whipped cream as the top layer.
  4. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Add crumbled cookies or 1 single cookie to garnish and serve.

 

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Easy Easter Egg Decorating Ideas

By 19 Comments

Want to celebrate the tradition of Easter egg dying, but does the smell of vinegar, big colorful messes, and the lack of time keep you from breaking out the eggs? Here are several easy Easter Egg Decorating Ideas, as featured on Good Morning Texas, to keep it fun for everyone.

Thanks to At Home for all the eggsellent Easter decorations to create the perfect Easter scene!

affiliate-links

Growing up we loved decorating eggs. We’d put on one of grandpa’s old plaid workshirts, spread out the newspaper, and began the dipping, dying, and dripping rainbow-colored messes all over the floor. 


It was lots of fun. But then again, all the hours of egg dying would then turn into the eggs we later would hunt out in the grass for Easter. 

Nowadays, “Egg Hunts” don’t even involve dyed eggs, chocolate, nuts, or whatever else we are saying no to these days.

EGG

Now, I’m a big proponent of healthy eating, the tradition does kinda just fizzle out when there’s no point to all the work. 

However, there is something to be said for the time spent together, around the table, doing something fun and creative, and making memories. 

Our evolved tradition has turned into more of an opportunity to make whatever eggs you want to make. And if it doesn’t involve too much set up, can keep from dying our fingers or making a big mess for mom, that’s a tradition we can really get behind. 

While I’ve seen some pretty impressive eggs that probably took more skill and more time than I have in a week to make one 

Easter-Egg-Decorating

 

Here are 10 Easy Egg Decorating Ideas that are fun, easy and pretty mostly mess free! 

1. Stick it with Temporary Tattoos 
Pick a tat and put it on the egg just like you would the skin with a little wet cloth. Just make sure it’s a dry egg first so the tattoo can adhere to the egg. (DC Comics or DC Comics are a win for kids!)

2. Sharpies to the Rescue
A trip through Pinterest will show you that Sharpies make everything better. Put your monogram (or any other shape) by using a sticker and begin covering with dots. After you cover the egg in 1-2 colors, peel off the sticker and you’ll have the outline of your shape. (We used these ABCs for ours.)

gmt

3. Put Your Finger in It
I love handprint crafts and so do the kids. This one is the perfect combination of using those cute little fingertips to create bunnies, carrots or ducks with the stamp of a thumbprint.

carrot

4. Create with Crayons 
One of my favorites, you don’t even need to wait for the eggs to cool. While still warm after boiling, you can decorate you egg using crayons. Smear the color with your finger immediately after applying the color for an all-over color. Then layer the next crayon over it for a 3-D effect.

5. Color it with Kool-Aid 
Forget vinegar and dye, break out the Kool-Aid man! Using a packet of red, blue or orange Kool-Aid with 2/3 cup water. Then dip the eggs to make them your favorite color. Allow to dry on rack and then rinse to “set.”

Koolaid

6. Do it with Dots
I’m a big fan of polka dots, so using double-sided sticky dots all over an egg, you can roll it in glitter (or sand) to create a cool effect without the mess of trying to paint a golden egg!

Glitter-dots

7. Bedazzle it with Beads 
This is my FAVORITE. These eggs look so impressive, but basically it’s jeweled dots already adhered to sticky tape. Peel them tape off and add it to the egg. Ta-daa! It’s an egg that a princess would love to have.

bling

8. Share the Fun with Shave Cream 
This one isn’t as clean as the others, but it’s so much fun! Take a pan, cover it in shaving cream (like the cheap stuff), and then add some food color. Using a dowel rod, swirl the colors together until you have a fun tie-dye effect. Then roll the egg in the cream to color. Allow it to dry for 10 minutes and then rinse for the color to develop. (Note: Consider gloves if you don’t want your fingers to get colored!)

Shaving-Cream

9. Don it with Decoupage 
Modge podge is the answer to everything and here it is plays a big role in making a napkin become the design on an egg. Add decoupage to egg. Then take a napkin (think a fun leftover party napkin or using this beautiful floral design), adhere the napkin to the egg and begin to smooth it out. Cut off the excess. Add another layer of Mod Podge to the outside of the egg to smooth out the design and let it dry.

Mod Podge

10. Go with Glow
This one isn’t much of a decorating egg idea, but host a glow-in-the-dark Easter hunt by filling plastic eggs with glow-in-the-dark sticks (Dollar Tree is a great place to score these!)

Hope you have a hoppy Easter with these fun egg decorating ideas!

 Did you love the decor used in the segment? Me too! You can get all of it from At Home!

GMT-2

  • At Home has more than 150 Easter items for your indoor and outdoor decorating needs in a variety of themes (Modern Easter, Garden Party and Antique Treasures).
  • Prices for At Home Easter product ranges from $0.99 up to $99.99. AtHome.com showcases a sampling of what you can find in stores.
  • At Home currently has several DFW locations. New locations in Plano and Farmers Branch set to open in May of this year.
  • Each store has more than 50,000 home décor items and receives 500 new products per week.Don't miss

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Make Your Best Cake Tips

By 4 Comments

Baking the perfect cake isn’t just cooking. It’s a mix of art and science – and some experience in knowing the best cake tips! 

You know that expression “have your cake and eat it, too?”

Unfortunately when it comes to making them, most of us just skip to picking one up at the grocery store so we can take it home to eat it.  And if we do make one, well, it probably came from a box and lovely icing from a rounded container.

cake-tips


Face it: cake making isn’t easy, but with a little patience and few of these best cake tips, you can make your own little piece of sweet art a lot better than you ever thought possible. And when you’re done, you don’t even have to share. But I will share a few tips that will take you for basic to Betty Crocker in just one cake.

However, cake making isn’t just cooking; it’s art, it’s a science and actually a little lesson in history.

I love to read cookbooks and actually I own probably about 100+ of them and sometimes just love reading the ingredients, recipe names and my favorite, the descriptions, especially on old cookbooks (like those made from local women’s groups!) One of my favorites growing up were the red-gingham covered (affiliate link included) Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

BHG-Cookbook

Filled with tips to setting your table, to how to make Sunday dinner for your inlaws, this cookbook was the gold standard cooking staple for most women in the 50s as they either practiced for marriage or worked to “create a home” after the wedding. I love the tips they include as well as all the handy conversions. Just for cakes the section there’s a nifty tip sheet for all the things you did wrong with your cake and how to fix them next time. While looking for a little something to make for Easter, I actually ran across a recipe called “Easter Dinner Cake.” Since it was found in the sponge/pound cake section and made with orange juice, the recipe sounded perfect for Easter dinner. And with 11 egg whites, I had to know how this was going to turn out.

RECIPE: Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook Easter Dinner Cake

Easter-Dinner-Cake-MamChallenge.com

As I started to think about Easter cakes, I remembered the one my mom made when I was young that had coconut, lime, lemons, oranges and all the other good stuff that still had me licking my lips for just one more bite 20+ years later. Luckily she knew exactly what recipe it was from her McCall’s Cooking School Cook Book binder, a mail-subscription service that sent you a few recipes every month to add to your binder until you had a full cookbook.

MCalls

Of course, this was BW (before the web), so it was fun to wait to see what recipes you’d receive each shipment.  I tried to find my own copy of the once mail-order binder cookbook, but from others looking for the same thing, it doesn’t appear you can find a copy unless you find one on Amazon from others willing to sell theirs. However, I’m reprinting it here for you (or  until they realize it might be worth it to put these online!)

Coconut-Citrus-Cake-mamachallenge

RECIPE: McCall’s Cooking School Coconut-Cream Cake with Lemon-Lime Filling

And it wouldn’t be Easter without Carrot Cake, right? I love this recipe ot just because it’s covered in Cream Cheese frosting, but because it is made with applesauce! You know I’m always about using applesauce in your recipes, especially baking, since it makes things lower in fat, higher in healthy ingredients and definitely much more moist! While you could use any applesauce, I like the cinnamon version from GoGo squeeZ to give it that little kick of sweetness. And then throw in a little 1/2 teaspoon of chile or chipotle powder and you’ve got a cake that won’t stop – at least not until you’ve finished every.single. bite.

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RECIPE: Best Carrot Cake Ever

 

What’s your favorite cake? 

 

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Best Carrot Cake Ever

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Best Carrot Cake Ever

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Ingredients

Scale
  • 1¼ cup applesauce
  • 2 cup sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon chile powder or chipotle powder (trust me!)
  • 2 cups grated carrots
  • 1 cup coconut
  • 1 cup chopped nuts (optional) + 1 cup for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple in juice, not drained

Frosting

  • ½ cup butter, softened
  • 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 lb powdered sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine first three ingredients into a bowl.
  3. In another bowl mix all dry ingredients together and then add to applesauce mixture.
  4. Next combine carrots, coconut, nuts, vanilla and pineapple together. Then add to the applesauce mixture until well blended.
  5. Pour into two greased 8 or 9-inch pans.
  6. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cakes cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

  1. Beat the butter and cream cheese until nice and fluffy. Add vanilla and powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
  2. Frost the cake until complete and serve! Add chopped pecans or walnuts for garnish.

Easter Dinner Cake

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Easter-Dinner-Cake-MamChallenge.com

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Easter Dinner Cake

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Description

This recipe was found in the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook but unfortunately, I haven’t been able to find it online so here it is as printed.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup cake flour, sifted + 2 tablespoons cake flour, sifted
  • 1/2 cup sugar + 1 cup sugar
  • 1 1/3 cup (11) egg whites
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon grated orange peel
  • 4 well-beaten egg yolks
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  1. Sift 1 cup flour with 1/2 cup sugar 3 times.
  2. Beat egg whites, cream of tartar, and salt until egg whites are stiff enough to hold up in soft peaks but are still moist and glossy.
  3. Add remaining 1 cup of sugar to egg whites, 2 tablespoons at a time, beating after each addition to blend. Sift about 1/4 of flour over egg-white mixture and fold in lightly.
  4. Fold in remaining flor-sugar mixture by fourths.
  5. Divide batter into 2 parts.
  6. Add orange juice and peel to egg yolks and beat with rotary beater until very thick.
  7. Fold the egg-yolk mixture and 2 tablespoons flour into 1/2 the batter.
  8. Fold vanilla into other 1/2 of batter.
  9. Spoon batters alternately into ungreased 10-inch tube pan; bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) about 30 minutes.
  10. Invert pan to cool.

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